Step 1 – Check you can do training

• Check what you need to be an operator
• Types of difficult calls
• Roles and responsibilities

Step 2 – Register as a support line volunteer

Your Red Cross manager will contact you about becoming a support line operator

Step 3 – Read before your training

Read these pages before your training session:

• Adult abuse indicators
• Child and young person abuse indicators
• Contact safeguarding team
• How to respond to a disclosure
• How you could respond to callers
• Calling people back

Step 4 – Training over video call

Your training session will be led by BRC experienced operators.

The sessions will take place over Zoom video calls:

• How to use Zoom video calls

And – Read information from your training

This is the information covered in training:

• About support line
• Code of Practice
• Supporting distressed callers (CALMER)
• Angry and distressed callers
• Silent callers
• Abusive callers
• Boundaries and limitations
• Ending calls
• What to do after a call
• What information to collect
• Practical tips for answering calls
• Support for operators

Step 5 – Sign up for shifts

You can only sign up for shifts when you complete training.

Sign up for shifts

Step 6 – Before your shift

Prior to each shift you need to:

• Check the Pages Update and Briefings Update pages in the Operator Manual for any updates
• Unmute the Official NSL WhatsApp group (click on three dots top right of mobile phone screen)
• Attend the briefing via zoom – joining details in the Operator Manual – Shift Briefings page > Briefing and Debriefings.
  If you join partway through a shift the Supervisor may brief you over the phone (Mitel) rather than in Zoom.
• From your favourites (little star on top right of your screen) you will need to:
  – Log into the Mitel phone system (some operators log into this prior to the briefing and show themselves as – yellow “busy meeting” and change to available – green after the briefing)
  – Log into OneLogin to access the Dynamics 365 tile on the OneLogin homepage̶
  – Have the Operator Manual tab visible

Step 7 – Set up your phone ready to answer calls

• Check what you need to be an operator
• Set up your phone ready to answer calls

Step 8 – Answer calls to the support line

• How to answer calls with your phone
• Transfer calls
• Note-taking
• Signposting to other services
• Decide to refer someone for urgent support
• Decide what to do about a safeguarding concern

Step 9 – Take a break, if you need one

Work of this nature has the potential for being upsetting and stressful. Take breaks, rest and talk to others.

• Speak to your supervisor
• Support line for operators
• Tips for stress management

Step 10 – Record information from calls

Information from calls will help in getting people further support, if needed.

• What information to collect
• Explaining how information will be shared
• Consent to collect and share information
• Record information from calls

Step 11 – After your shift

• Log out of the Mitel phone system
• Log out of Dynamics 365
• Log out of OneLogin
• Attend the de-briefing via zoom – joining details in the Operator Manual – Shifts and Briefings page > Briefing and Debriefings.
  If you join partway through a shift the Supervisor may debrief you over the phone (Mitel) rather than in Zoom.
• Destroy any notes you may have taken
• Delete any numbers that may show in your phone history
• Delete messages in the official WhatsApp group and mute the group