Childline Foyle volunteers & counsellors take part in event

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Counsellors and volunteers from Childline Foyle recently joined dozens of colleagues from across the UK at a major conference with founder Dame Esther Rantzen.

Along with the new head of Childline, Shaun Friel, who is based in the North, and NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless, Dame Esther welcomed Childline counsellors from around the country to the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Centre in Warrington for the Childline President’s Conference.

The team from Childline Foyle took part in workshops, Q&A sessions with leaders of the NSPCC and Childline, and discussed the importance of their roles and how they had been affected by their experiences helping thousands of children around the UK.

Shaun Friel, head of Childline, opened the conference, and took part in a Q&A session where he addressed Childline counsellors and praised the importance of their roles.

Shaun said: “Our counsellors speak to thousands of children and young people every year who are living through often unimaginable experiences, and the role of the counsellor requires them to stay strong and resilient, and help the person on the other end of the line. However, the emotional effects of these conversations don’t always end when the contact does, and we need to ensure that our counsellors have the support they need to manage those feelings.

“We know the subjects our volunteers and staff regularly deal with can be distressing, and we do everything we can to support their mental health and resilience. With events such as this, they have an opportunity to shape what more we can do to help ensure our Childline counsellors have the strength and courage to continue to help children and young people today, tomorrow, and into the future.” For more informtation about volunteering for Childline Foyle, call 028 2044 1733.