Volunteering Kindness
- Aug 3, 2024
- 2 min read
As President of Samaritans in Spain, I was honoured to participate in the Befrienders Worldwide Conference 2024, held in Columbo, Sri Lanka. The roots of Befrienders Worldwide can be traced back to Samaritans UK, which established Befrienders International, a crucial platform for coordinating ‘befriending’ agencies in over 40 countries.
Along with myself, delegates from across the globe came together to discuss the very prevalent issues of mental and emotional well-being that can affect anyone at any time and, in some cases, even lead to suicide.
The Inauguration Ceremony was a truly cultural occasion, with male and female dancers in traditional costumes and the lighting of the symbolic tree. This ensured that light shone upon us as we came together to learn from each other and forge new connections.
Aside from attending as a delegate, I was privileged to be chosen as one of the speakers. I was able to share a little more about Samaritans in Spain and how we work and speak on a new initiative we have undertaken. Thanks to a collaboration with the Santiago Embassy of Chile, we can now provide our services to English speakers residing in Chile. Before this, they had nowhere to turn to besides the Embassy, which felt ill-equipped to handle such delicate matters.
During my time at the conference, I heard from renowned professors specialising in suicidology and learnt just how truly important ‘active listening’ is as a suicide prevention tool. I was humbled by the extreme situations and personal trauma that some of the organisations were responding to with kindness and emotional support daily.
I met a tenacious lady in her eighties from an organisation in Sri Lanka who introduced online training when the pandemic prevented her from carrying out face-to-face. She described how she didn’t really understand the online world and turned to her grandchildren to assist her in what she believed was possible.
I also heard from an organisation located in Lebanon that has been developing an
evaluation tool to measure the effectiveness of their presence.
Each workshop I attended brought new ideas, discoveries, and ways of doing things. Not everything was agreed upon, but healthy debates and discussions ensued, bringing us all ever closer. Something truly magical happens when like-minded people come together, and all egos are put to one side. It made no difference the role we played in our organisation; we all had an equal voice, which I found to be truly inspiring.
During the conference, the Welsh term ‘cynefin’ (pronounced kuh-nev-in) was used to describe us as a community, and I couldn’t agree more.
Wonderful insights from the conference! It's inspiring to see organizations around the world coming together to strengthen suicide prevention through active listening, collaboration, and innovation. Expanding support to English speakers in Chile is a meaningful step forward. As these initiatives grow across borders, Legal Translation Services can also play an important role in ensuring agreements, policies, and cross-country communications are accurate and accessible. Wishing your team continued success in making a positive difference.
Reading about global collaboration and the power of active listening was truly inspiring. It's encouraging to see organizations sharing innovative ideas that improve mental health support across different communities. Just as compassion relies on understanding people, Video Annotation Services help create accurate AI systems by teaching technology to recognize human actions and behaviors more effectively. Thank you for highlighting the importance of learning, cooperation, and kindness on a global scale. Wishing your organization continued success in making a positive impact.
The “Volunteering Kindness” blog does a great job of highlighting how everyday compassion can make a real difference, especially through the efforts of volunteers who offer emotional support and a listening ear to people going through difficult times. What stands out most is the focus on human connection—how simple acts like being present, non-judgmental, and empathetic can help reduce feelings of isolation and distress. The article also reflects the importance of organizations like Samaritans in Spain in creating safe spaces where individuals feel heard and valued without fear of stigma. It’s a strong reminder that volunteering is not just about giving time, but about offering genuine emotional care and understanding that can positively impact someone’s life.
While reading, I also…
This was such an inspiring read. I really enjoyed learning about the Befrienders Worldwide Conference and how people from so many countries came together to share ideas on suicide prevention, emotional well-being, and the power of active listening. Donna Williams' presentation about expanding Samaritans in Spain's support to English speakers in Chile was especially impressive, and I also loved the stories about the Sri Lankan volunteer embracing online training and the discussions around measuring impact. The mention of cynefin beautifully captured the sense of community and belonging throughout the conference. I actually came across this while taking a break to do my java homework, and it was a meaningful reminder that empathy, collaboration, and kindness can create positive change around the…
The article on Volunteering Kindness beautifully highlights the global effort behind emotional support and suicide prevention. It is inspiring to see how organizations like Samaritans in Spain and Befrienders Worldwide collaborate across countries. The emphasis on active listening as a life-saving tool really stands out in today’s fast-paced world. The cultural unity at the conference shows how compassion can bridge language and geographic barriers. Stories from volunteers and leaders demonstrate the power of simple human connection in difficult times. Reading this also reminded me how structured learning matters in all fields, even in unexpected ways like Take My Online Calculus class. The idea of shared learning and equal voice among delegates reflects true community spirit and respect. Overall, the event…