When I first heard about Abortion Talk, I knew I wanted to be involved. Due to work
commitments, I was unable to attend the first round of training sessions and so I put myself
on the list for the next volunteer intake. When I got an email to say that more volunteers were
being taken on, I made sure I blocked out the sessions in my diary so I could join the team.
The training was manageable with regular breaks to pause/reflect. The sessions ran across 4 Saturdays, which was perfect for me as I work Monday to Friday – it is a commitment, but
the service you are providing is an important one and therefore cannot be taken lightly. I learnt A LOT; Medical terminology, statistics, service providers and how to signpost them as
well debunking common myths/misunderstandings. As someone who works with young
people, the training also made me feel more equipped if I ever find myself in a situation
where advice is needed. During our training sessions we were also invited to share personal experiences, however there was never a time that this felt scary or unsafe as by this point, we had already formed an understanding of mutual trust. Those who did not want to share were treated with respect and understanding.
I had no idea how much support would be available on shift and was reassured to find out
that there is always someone to check in with/fact check/ask further advice when you are on a call. As well as the detailed volunteer guidebook packed with information, existing services contact details and even helpful phrases to make the caller feel comfortable, the volunteer Whatsapp group is a fountain of knowledge and there is always someone (normally multiple people) there to help you out.
Due to the nature of the charity, sometimes calls can be challenging - it is likely that you will
speak to people who are confused or upset and though you may help them through,
sometimes you need to unpack this after a shift. The Abortion Talk staff and volunteer
collective make this not just possible, but easy as there are people with years of experience
and/or people who have taken similar calls, who will advise, validate or sometimes just talk
through with you if you have any concerns or just want to offload.
When I started a year ago, my biggest fear that I wouldn’t be ‘good enough’ or of use to
callers and even though during the training there are lots of opportunities to practice and ask questions, I still worried. Once you take that first real call, and you realise how much of a difference you make – even if it is just to be a listening ear to someone who would otherwise stay silent – that initial worry disappears because you realise how important this role is.
I knew when I signed up that I wanted to be available to help people who find themselves in
situations which require our help, what I didn’t realise how proud I would feel to be part of
such an important, essential and, in some cases, life-changing organisation.