To help futureproof its services and boost capacity, Samaritans is partnering with Leeds Building Society, which is aiming to raise £250,000 to help the charity support even more people.
Samaritans is responding to thousands more requests for help by text and email every day, as people choose to talk to its volunteers in different ways.
Contacts by text and email were up more than a quarter between 2016 and 2017, from around 683,000 to 868,000. A web chat option to be piloted later this year seeks to provide another alternative to phoning for people needing emotional support.
Samaritans CEO Ruth Sutherland said: “The money raised by Leeds Building Society will be a massive boost. It’s vital that anyone who’s feeling overwhelmed can access us quickly and easily in whatever way they feel most comfortable with. That means staying ahead of the curve in terms of new technology and attracting new volunteers. Both come at a huge cost to us as a charity.”
Richard Fearon, Leeds Building Society’s chief commercial officer, said: “As a building society we’re based on the premise of people helping people, which is exactly what Samaritans does 365 days of the year through its 20,000 volunteers taking calls.
“Listening is also an incredibly important part of how we choose to operate as a business, and this sits at the heart of what makes Samaritans such a special charity – they listen to those struggling to cope. We’re really proud to have chosen Samaritans for our first charity partnership.”
Leeds Building Society colleagues and a panel of its members will be given the chance to choose how the funds raised are spent by voting for one of two projects, to be announced later this year. Both projects will meet changing demands.
The first will see new technology introduced allowing volunteers to move more easily between phone, email, text and chat responses. The second will fund volunteer recruitment to help meet demand.