"My Nightline Story"

Here at Manchester Nightline, we know the fact we're anonymous can be a bit strange to some people. People ask, "Are you even a real person?", and the answer is YES! We're all very real, very normal people who simply chose to give up their time for others. We hear from one of our volunteers and what being a part of the organisation has done for them:

"As a phone volunteer for Greater Manchester Nightline, I can honestly say that what we do is amazing. Not all calls end with answers, but even just encouraging someone to talk, asking them questions and being the person that they have chosen to speak to is enough to know that the hours you are volunteering are worthwhile. But for me, Nightline isn’t just about helping others.

I began my volunteering with Nightline at a really vulnerable time of my university life. Long story short, everything that could have possibly gone wrong, had gone wrong. Whilst struggling with depression, I felt like I lacked friends and support and was initially really scared to meet such a new, diverse group of people, but straight away, I felt welcomed into what is one of the country’s largest Nightline communities. Throughout training, I was continually offered support by people who I had quickly felt comfortable talking about my mental health with, which was such a new thing for me, as I was terrified to tell my other friends. The social side of Nightline really helped “bring me out of my shell”, I began to approach new people, I didn’t always feel like a burden to people who encouraged me to talk about my problems. I’ve now been with the organisation for a year and can honestly say that without some of the people I’ve met, I would not still be at university.

The thing with Nightline volunteers is, we’re all such like-minded people. We all do different courses, we come from all walks of life, but you don’t give up so much time to an organisation that listens if you’re not a supportive person. The people I’ve met have helped me through my depression and they’ve given me a social life that didn’t exist before I started volunteering. I’ve gone on to make friends much more easily in other areas of my life and I can honestly say that I’m the happiest and most successful I’ve been in a long time. As cliché as it sounds, being a part of Nightline has really changed my life and I’m sure I’m not the only one. That’s why it’s not just about the callers, it’s about our volunteers and I’m lucky to be a part of an organisation that does such wonderful things."