Lifeline central Victoria and Mallee held its annual general meeting this week, in which a high turnover and retention rate for telephone crisis supporters was the main focus of discussions.

The branch usually has about 60 volunteers, but that figure has dropped to 50 resulting in about 3500 fewer calls being answered locally per year.

Chief executive officer Leo Schultz said it was a trend that needed to be reversed.

“More moderate levels of recruiting and training of new crisis supporters combined with higher than anticipated turnover has seen our ability to answer calls decline over the past two financial years,” he said.

“This is an unpalatable situation given that the national suicide rate remains around 3000 people per year and Lifeline’s call answer rate is declining from the peak of 86 per cent.

“We would like to build our pool of active telephone crisis supporters back to the long term average of about 60 through broader recruitment and retention.

“It’s worth noting that we’re not alone in finding it more difficult to recruit and retain telephone crisis supporters, it’s a problem right across Lifeline.”

The 50 volunteers in the region answered about 14,500 calls in the financial year.

Mr Schultz said Lifeline was investigating reasons for the fall in volunteer numbers, including recently increased requirements for supervision and additional professional development. Giving volunteers a break after a period could also be considered.

The cost per call for Lifeline has also more than doubled in the past four years, from $8.07 per call in 2012/13 to $18.10 in 2016/17.

Volunteer Paul Robinson celebrated his 10th year as a Lifeline volunteer and was presented with an award at the AGM.

He said the work carried out by volunteers was vital, and he was proud of the impact they had on those who called the helpline.

“I think in the end, it grounds me. Whatever my problems are, they’re definitely insignificant to what other people are suffering,” Mr Robinson said.

“It’s absolutely extraordinary how many people out there in our community who do not have people to talk to.

“The really challenging thing with Lifeline is, unfortunately, that when you hang up the phone you don’t know where you are on that person’s journey. And that one hurts a little bit, but you have to learn to put that aside – you’re there to do your best and just to be supportive.”

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