'They are not alone' - Foyle volunteer to spend Christmas helping vulnerable children for Childline

Childline Practitioner, Kirsty Millar from Portrush, will be spending her Christmas night at the charity's Foyle base to ensure that someone is there to listen to vulnerable children.

Kirsty is one of many Childline staff and volunteers who will be providing support to children over the festive season.

The Portrush woman says she is looking forward to a relaxed Christmas with her family. A day of family festivities with her parents, sister, boyfriend and of course her beloved dog Lily, Kirsty will also head to work at 10pm on Christmas night and finish at 7.30am on Boxing Day.

In the midst of the celebrations, Kirsty will drive 45 minutes to Childline's Foyle base where she will respond to children who will call the helpline for support through the night. A sharp contrast to the joyful celebrations at home, but Kirsty nonetheless is happy to work through the night for such an important cause. 

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Kirsty explains: "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 says that although Christmas is mostly a happy time for a lot of people, some children can find the festive period difficult due to navigating a range of issues. She said: "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."

Kirsty went on to study at the University of Ulster in Coleraine where she achieved an MSc in Applied Psychology after she completed her degree in Psychology at the Dundee University in 2021. Her interests lay in family therapy as well as mental and forensic psychology.

Kirsty was eager to find a career wherein she could best apply her skills and knowledge, and so she applied to Childline last year. The then-graduate was delighted to start her first job and has since been working at night as a Childline Practitioner.

Commenting on her role, 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."

She continued: "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."

Despite the challenges in this line of work, Kirsty said: "While I adore my work- it’s truly my dream job – I do hear some very sad and upsetting things and I believe it’s important to have a hobby where I can recharge the batteries and do something completely different for a while."

Outside of work, Kirsty helps out with her local dancing group where she helps teach children. Kirsty cherishes her work with young people.

Kirsty concluded: "I am thankful to have found such an interesting and fulfilling job where I feel useful and can help children when they need it most."

If, like Kirsty, you want to help Childline continue their incredibly important work, Childline in Foyle is also currently looking for volunteer counsellors for weekly shifts at its Exchange House base.

If you have any questions about volunteering with Childline Foyle or would like to sign up to the next information session, contact Volunteer Coordinator, Amanda Doherty at [email protected] or on 028 2044 1733 / 028 2044 1734.