Spring Training

Spring Employees Receive Full-Day Samaritans Training. Being a good listener is a skill. In person, you can tell if someone is listening to you or not; you can see their facial expressions, their emotional and physical responses. But, what happens when you can’t see someone’s face, how can you tell how they are feeling at that moment in time? How can you tell their if they are coping, or not? How can you tell if someone is in trouble and needs help?

We have a culture at Spring that not only has our employee’s wellbeing at heart, but also you, our customers. We want to ensure we are providing the best possible service, but most importantly we want to make sure we are listening. All Spring staff have undergone training from the Samaritan’s to be able to recognise those customers who call that may be vulnerable or at risk. Thanks to the training provided by the Sarmatian’s, we have been able to implement procedures helping to recognise a vulnerable person and the necessary actions to take to get the help and support they may need.

Who are the Samaritans?

Although not a religious organisation, the Samaritans was founded in 1953 by a vicar called Chad Varah. Throughout his career, Chad had offered counselling to his parishioners and wanted to do something more specific to help people contemplating suicide.

Who do the Samaritans help?

"In an emergency the citizens turn to the telephone and dial 999. There ought to be an emergency number for suicidal people, I thought"

Founder Chad Varah.

With over 20,000 volunteers and 201 branches across the UK and Republic of Ireland, the 24/7 service answers a call for help every 6 seconds. In 2017 alone, the Samaritans reached more than half a million people through work in their local communities. They work in schools, prisons and hospitals, and have a long-standing partnership with Network rail for suicide prevention.

What do Samaritans provide?

The Samaritans provide a listening service. Day or night, for anyone struggling to cope, and needs someone to listen without judgement or pressure.

Samaritans is not only for the moment of crisis, they are able to take action to prevent the crisis.

Every year, Samaritans volunteers spend over one million hours answering calls for help via their unique 24-hour listening service, email, letter, face to face and through the Welsh language service.

The Samaritans give people ways to cope and the skills to be there for others. And encourage, promote and celebrate those moments of connection between people that can save lives.

What are the core values of the Samaritans?

Listening: Exploring feelings alleviates distress and helps people to reach a better understanding of their situation and the options open to them.

Confidentiality: If people feel safe, they are more likely to be open about their feelings.

Non-judgemental: Allow people to be able to talk without fear of prejudice or rejection. People making their own decisions wherever possible.

People making their own decisions: People have the right to find their own solution and that telling people what to do takes responsibility away from them.

Human contact: Giving people time, undivided attention and empathy meets a fundamental emotional need and reduces distress and despair.

How do the Samaritans help companies like Spring?

The Samaritans provide courses in the workplace to cover a range of important issues. The training that all Spring staff have been fortunate to receive, has been focused on how to support and handle conversations with vulnerable people. The course provided our team with the necessary skills on how to handle conversations over the telephone in a caring, sensitive and professional manner.  Our staff have developed the skills needed using the Samaritans ‘emotional well-being scale, in order to cope and handle with the personal stress of handling emotive calls.

The training has not only helped our team on a professional level, but also on a personal level that they can use and adopt in their every-day lives.

What impact will the training have at Spring?

"We want to create a culture of empathy at Spring. This type of course provided by the Samaritans generates conversations with our customers. It helps us foster a customer centric business and ensures we are true to our core company values by going above and beyond".  Samar Shaheryar COO of Spring.

Having such training like this from the Samaritans, helps Spring keep its core values to the forefront of the business and ensure we provide the best possible customer experience to our customers.

Participation in training by companies like Spring, also helps provides the Samaritans with essential funding in order to continue their essential work.

How did the training impact the Spring team?

“I thought It was a really good experience, it made me realise anyone can become a vulnerable person just depending on where they sit on the emotional scale at that moment”. Marcus Dumbili Spring Property Advisor

“Great training! Made me realise how much more we could do for customer by applying some of the techniques”. Prashant Parekh, Head of Customer Service

“Great training and key learnings can be used in any role you do”. Natalie Rodrigues Head of HR

How to get in touch with the Samaritans

If you, or anyone you know, is in need of help and support, a Samaritan volunteer can be reached 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Whatever you're going through, a Samaritan will face it with you.

You can contact the Samaritans for free on: 116 123, or by visiting the Samaritans website.

← RETURN to BLOG/STORIES