Working the phones – Pt. 1

Justin is a Services Supervisor for Missing People. He delivers help and support to missing children, vulnerable adults and families left in limbo. They do this by assisting the search and by providing the channels for people to make contact; from public sightings to media appeals to Runaway Helpline for young people and Message Home for missing adults. Justin is a key member of their frontline team offering 24/7 help to a range of people.

So, I arrive at work right on time. I realise that this is likely to be an incredibly hectic “workday”, even though I am covering the nightshift. Armed with a constant supply of water, working with volunteers who are passionate about answering helpline calls and in the company of colleagues, some of whom I’m proud to call friends; I hope that I can make some headway through my lengthy “to do” list.

Two hours into the shift, a young woman from Southern Scotland calls our Runaway Helpline feeling suicidal. She has been having a tough time of things at home and says that although her friends support her during the daytime, it is in the early hours that she feels increasingly desperate. She is very upset, has been thinking about running away and says she just wants to end it all.

People who contact us at Missing People who feel down often talk about wanting to get away from everything but taking a call such as that, no matter who you are, can affect you. However, there is a job to be done; to be there to listen and most importantly to refer her onto an organisation that would be better able to help her. Having talked through her thoughts and fears for about twenty minutes, she ends the call in a much calmer frame of mind.

My friends often ask me; how can I enjoy my job with all the bad stuff that I hear? The answer is simple; knowing that I’ve genuinely helped – whether it is one person or one hundred people in a day – allows me to believe that we are all the same and that ultimately puts the world in perspective.