Simon urges people to sign up as Childine counsellors

Simon Curtis (28), from Newtownabbey, has been giving up his time with the NSPCC-run helpline for three years.

He is speaking out as latest figures reveal that since the beginning of lockdown there have been 373 counselling sessions carried out with children in Northern Ireland about mental health concerns - a monthly average of 124 sessions compared with 99 prior to lockdown.

Simon said: “I actually saw an advertisement for Childline volunteers on Gumtree, and at that time, I actively looking for opportunities to volunteer some time each week to a good cause.”

Simon also revealed how making a difference to a young person’s life makes volunteering worthwhile.

He added: “In most instances, a young person will thank you and are genuinely appreciative of your time, and as corny as it might sound, that’s the best part. Knowing that you might have helped that young person cope with their feelings or a particular situation, provide a platform to express themselves and bounce thoughts and ideas off or simply listen to whatever is troubling them, is a nice feeling.”

Simon also explained what it was like being on shift at the Belfast base at the height of lockdown.

“In my experience, the pandemic perhaps raised new, or made existing issues worse, within family units as families across the UK were thrown together under one roof. People have been spending more time together generally, and also in the family home, which for some young people, is not a great place to be at the best of times. There were questions on the pandemic generally, which is understandable, but a lot of young people who were feeling lonely.”

To find out more about volunteering at Childline’s bases at Belfast and Foyle email [email protected].