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Counsellors trained to provide proper assistance: Lifeline Fiji

January 24, 2020 12:35 pm

Suicide prevention center Lifeline Fiji continues to ensure their crisis line is manned 24 hours a day by efficient and effective counselors.

Programs Officer Biu Balei-okinawa says in addition to ensuring the necessary service is up and running with financial contributions from the community, counselors also maintain a significant training program.

Balei-okinawa adds 74 percent of their calls are from people who lack support for stress, depression and traumatic situations and therefore support workers need proper training.

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“At the moment we have sent two volunteers to go for their counselling diploma at APTC as part of our staff development plan. The struggle that we face in the crisis line is maintaining our crisis supporters as this is a very stressful job, it is also very emotionally draining. So a lot of people do not stay long in this job because sometimes they are not able to cope with the issues that our help seekers come up with.”

Lifeline Fiji has 10 crisis support workers on different shifts manning the helpline at all times.

More than 2,000 calls were received on the 132 454 number in 2019.