Portrush's Kirsty to spend Christmas night taking calls at Childline Foyle base
A young Portrush woman will leave her family Christmas Day celebrations to drive 45 miles to volunteer overnight for Childline.
Kirsty Millar, will be spending Christmas night at the charity’s Foyle base.
She is looking forward to Christmas Day with her parents, younger sister and adored dog, Lily. Her extended family come around to visit after Christmas lunch and the 25-year-old is also planning to spend some time with her boyfriend in the evening before heading off at 10pm for a shift that finishes at 7.30am on Boxing Day.
Kirsty said: “Often it’s at night that children’s worries really intensify and all sorts of concerns and fears bubble up the surface – that’s why Childline is open 24 hours a day, every day, including Christmas.”
She continued: “I haven’t worked over the Christmas period before, so it’s hard to predict the sorts of calls I’ll receive, but I know that for many young people it can be a sad time of year especially if they have experienced grief or loss.
"For some children, their own experiences of Christmas are very different from the images they see on television, of happy families, surrounded by wonderful food and presents. This can be so difficult for them. I find it’s a privilege to be able to listen to their worries and let them know they are not alone.”
After completing a degree in Psychology at Dundee University in 2021, Kirsty went on to study at the University of Ulster in Coleraine where she achieved an MSc in Applied Psychology and was particularly interested in family therapy as well as mental and forensic psychology.
She knew that she wanted to find a career where she could use these skills and applied in 2023 to Childline. Kirsty was delighted to start her first job and is now working at night as a Childline Practitioner.
She said: “There is truly excellent support for all the staff in the Foyle base. When I start a shift, I have no idea what I’m going to hear. Children call about so many issues - often it’s about child sexual abuse or online grooming.
"Increasingly, I am contacted by young people who are very worried about what’s going on in the world at the moment and are frightened about their safety. No call is ever the same and sometimes the children just want to get things off their chest, but if it’s necessary, we can refer the call to the police or other services if the child is in immediate danger.
“After each shift, there’s a de-brief and it’s an opportunity to talk through any concerns we have. I really can’t describe how helpful everyone is - it’s just the most supportive and welcoming group of people. There’s a real camaraderie in the team and we all look out for each other. As well as the staff, we have a group of absolutely amazing and dedicated volunteers and we simply could not do the job without them."
Childline in Foyle is also currently looking for volunteer counsellors for weekly shifts at its Exchange House base. IAnyone who would like more information should contact Volunteer Coordinator, Amanda Doherty at [email protected] or on 028 2044 1733 / 028 2044 1734.