Jo and Diana are the Printing Charity’s Welfare and Wellbeing Officers. They’re our first point of contact, the friendly voices people hear when they call to start a conversation about the ways the charity may be able to help them.
We chatted to them about their role, and what happens when someone first calls the charity.
A friendly listening ear
“Our first priority is to make people feel at ease as much as we can,” Jo explains. “People may never have asked for help before, and we know that it takes a lot to pick up the phone and talk – the first step is always the hardest.”
The team believes in open, direct communication to help build a relationship, and trust. The first conversation is all about finding out about each individual’s situation and ensuring that they pick up on other areas of support that may be relevant, even if they were not the reason for the initial call.
“We explain our processes step by step,” says Diana, “It demystifies what they’re going through.”
They’ll also chat through the different routes to being eligible for the charity’s help and identify which apply to the caller. “They might not realise they have a connection to us through employment they may have had other than print – such as packaging, graphics or book production – and also their parents’ occupations, too. It’s really important to open up the discussion to make sure we get all of that,” Jo says.
Helping to ease concerns
There are lots of reasons why people may feel uncomfortable speaking to a charity, ranging from a misconception about the kinds of people who approach charities for help; to not believing their problem is bad enough.
As Diana says, “People are worried about being judged, so taking that first step is the hardest.”
Jo continues: “Anyone may need help if something significant changes or happens in their lives. Our message is that there’s no judgement, and everything is confidential. There’s also the fact that the first call is the most important step anyone can make towards dealing with and facing up to their situation.”
To ease those concerns, the team prefer spoken conversations rather than e-mail, to make a more human connection; to react to concerns as they arise; and to make sure it’s clear that there is a real person on the other end of the phone who’s here to help.
Don’t wait. Please start the conversation
Jo and Diana are waiting to hear from anyone in our industry who needs help. They can be reached on 01293 542 820 during standard office hours, or you can e-mail support@theprintingcharity.org.uk to arrange a time to speak.
“Call us and we’ll do our best to help you,” urges Diana.
“Let’s start the conversation together,” states Jo. “We are here, and we are waiting for your call.”