Sometimes the Most Powerful Thing We Can Do Is Listen

Samaritans Awareness Day | 24 July

You can work alongside someone every day and have absolutely no idea what they’re carrying.

The person who makes everyone laugh. The colleague who always says they’re fine. The parent at the school gates. The carer finishing another long shift. The caretaker quietly keeping everything running.

Most of us ask people how they are every day.

“Morning, you alright?”

“Yeah, not bad. You?”

And we carry on. But sometimes, “I’m fine” doesn’t mean someone is fine.

The importance of really listening

Samaritans Awareness Day takes place on 24 July - 24/7 - reflecting the fact that Samaritans are there to listen 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The day is an important reminder of something we can all do more of: make time for genuine human connection.

You don’t need to be an expert to listen to someone.

You don’t need to have all the answers.

And you certainly don’t need to fix everything they are going through.

Sometimes, simply giving someone your full attention and the space to talk can matter more than we realise.

Care should be something we do

At Vital Facilities Solutions, one of our values is Care.

For us, that shouldn’t just be a word written on a website or displayed on a wall. It should influence how we treat the people around us.

We work every day in schools, care homes, workplaces and communities. These are places filled with people, and every one of those people has a life beyond what we see.

Someone could be dealing with grief.

Money worries.

Family problems.

Loneliness.

Pressure at work.

Or something they simply don’t know how to talk about.

We might never know.

But we can notice when someone doesn’t seem themselves.

• We can ask twice.

• We can put our phones down.

• We can make the brew.

• We can give someone five minutes without rushing them.

And we can listen without immediately trying to solve the problem.

Who could you check in with today?

Think of one person you haven’t properly spoken to for a while.

Send them a message.

Pick up the phone.

Ask them if they fancy a brew.

And when you ask, “How are you?” give them the opportunity to tell you the real answer.

It might just be an ordinary conversation.

But you never really know how much someone might have needed it.

And if you’re the person who needs someone to listen, Samaritans are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Call Samaritans free on 116 123.

Sometimes we transform someone’s world simply by showing them they matter.

Transforming Your World.