Childline seeks volunteers in Leeds who will 'go the extra mile' for children who need to talk

Childline volunteers in Leeds have spoken about why they give up their time to help run the national counselling service as the NSPCC seeks more people like them.
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The free service, which has a base in the city, gives children and young people across the country someone who they can call or chat to online if they are having a tough time. Barbara Paxton, who has been a volunteer for four years now, said: “Young people need someone to listen and that’s something I can do. It’s great to be part of a brilliant, supportive organisation.”

Leeds team manager Charlotte Thomas said there is always a need for more volunteers like Barbara but a renovation of the charity’s Albion Street offers the chance to host greater numbers of volunteers than ever before. She said: “People from all walks of life come to us. We are looking for people that are child-centred and will go the extra mile for children. We can teach them everything else, but it is the core values that we are looking for.”

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The charity accepts volunteers above the age of 16 who can commit to a four-hour shift each week, for a minimum of a year. Charlotte said every volunteer is trained in counselling since children use the service for a range of different issues, from friendship and school worries to mental health and abuse.

Childline Leeds is looking for more volunteers to help children across the city. Photo: Tom HullChildline Leeds is looking for more volunteers to help children across the city. Photo: Tom Hull
Childline Leeds is looking for more volunteers to help children across the city. Photo: Tom Hull

Volunteer Hollie, who did not want to give her last name, has been with Childline for five years. She said: “It’s so important to be able to provide children with a safe space in a world that can feel so scary and to give them a voice when they otherwise may not feel heard. That’s why I keep coming back to Childline.”

Charlotte said: “We wouldn’t do it without the volunteers – that is the bottom line. They are the core service. Some of them have been here for 10 to 15 years now. We definitely rely on the volunteers.”

The Leeds base operates online only, using emails or one-to-one live chats and each session ends with a debrief to ensure the safety of the volunteers. Find out more about volunteering opportunities via the website.

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