FAQs

Nightline Services

What is a Nightline?

Nightlines are student-run listening and information services, open at night when other student support services may be closed. Nightlines offer confidential, non-judgemental emotional support from trained student volunteers through phone calls, instant messaging, email, text and drop in services.

What happens when I call?

The call is yours, you can say as much or as little as you like and talk about anything that’s on your mind. We are here to listen to anything you want to say without any judgement and in confidentiality. Our volunteers will given you the time and space to discuss your feelings and emotions and talk through whatever might be troubling you.

Do I have to be suicidal or depressed to call?

Not at all. Volunteers are trained to be able to listen and support students with any issue. No problem is too big or small – you don’t even need a reason to call – if you just want to chat, or share what’s on your mind, or talk about your day we’re here to listen.

What happens if I want to talk to a specific volunteer or talk specifically to a man or woman?

All our volunteers are trained in the same way and should be able to offer the same level of service. You can’t ask for a specific volunteer, however if you’d like to speak to a different volunteer you can end the call and call back.

Is Nightline anonymous?

Yes. Anonymity is one of our core principles. This means you can call us without giving your name or any personal details, we can’t see your phone number or where you’re calling from. We do this to create a safe space where you can speak freely about whatever is on your mind.

Is Nightline confidential?

Yes. Confidentiality is another core principle of Nightline. What you discuss with our volunteers will not be shared outside of Nightline. This allows you to put your trust in our listening volunteers. There are a few specific occasions when we might have to break confidentiality (eg – a court order or safeguarding incident) but our volunteers will let you know before this happens.

Are the volunteers trained?

Yes! All listening volunteers have been trained in active listening and are able to support you with any issues or problems on your mind. Every Nightline Service delivers their own training to their volunteers before they begin taking calls, this training must meet the Nightline Association’s good practice guidelines. Nightline volunteers take part in continuous training and development throughout the year.

Will you give me advice?

We cannot give advice to callers as we are a non-directive service. However, we can talk about your situation, your feelings and help you explore your options in the hope of helping you find some clarity and make your own choices.

My English isn’t very good, can I still use the service?

We understand that there are many students at universities across the country for whom English is not their first language. Many of our Nightline services offer an email service and instant messaging service for those that might find it easier to contact us in writing.

Volunteering

Who volunteers for Nightline?

Listening volunteers are compassionate and committed students from the Universities with Nightline Services. Each listener is trained on a wide range of issues such as academic stress and anxiety as well as active listening techniques.

Nightline Association is run by volunteers, many of those are current or previous listening volunteers, but we also have volunteers who are passionate about student mental health and want to volunteer their time and knowledge to support our Nightline services.

How do I become a listening volunteer?

Each Nightline service recruits their own listening volunteers. Find your local Nightline here to find out more about their volunteer recruitment.

Can I volunteer for the Nightline Association?

Absolutely! We’re always looking for passionate, enthusiastic and committed volunteers who can help shape the direction of the Nightline Association and support and develop our Nightline services. Whatever you’re interested in, we have roles that will be relevant to you – see our current volunteering opportunities here.

Donating to the Nightline Association

Why does the Nightline Association need to fundraise?

The Nightline Association is a small charity run almost entirely by volunteers. We receive no government or university funding, which means we rely on the support of people like you to help keep our vital, potentially life-saving services running.

Your donations help us to support, promote and develop Nightline Services across the country as we work towards our goal of every student in the country having access to confidential emotional peer support.

Who can I contact about donating to the Nightline Association?

Our fundraising team would be happy to help answer any quriers you have about a donation you have made or would like to make. Simply email enquiries@nightline.ac.uk and one of the team will get back to you.

Can I donate to the Nightline Association via Bank Transfer?

Yes! We’re happy to receive a donation directly into our bank account. Please contact our fundraising team at enquiries@nightline.ac.uk who will be able to provide you with our details.
If your donation is eligible for gift aid, please complete this form. 

Where do I send a cheque for the Nightline Association?

If you’d like to donate by post, please make your cheque payable to ‘Nightline Association’. Your cheque can then be posted to:

Nightline Association
Lytchett House
13 Freeland Park
Wareham Road
Poole
Dorset, BH16 6FA

If your donation is eligible for gift aid, please complete this form.

What is Gift Aid?

Gift Aid is a government run scheme that allows charities to reclaim some of the tax that you have already paid to HMRC. Currently, this is equal to 25p for every £1 that you give.

Gift Aid does not cost you any extra and can make your donation worth an extra 25% to us, so it’s a fantastic way of ensuring your donations go as far as they possibly can. To make a gift aid declaration, please complete this form. 

Fundraising for the Nightline Association

How do I fundraise for the Nightline Association?

We’re so pleased that you are considering fundraising for the Nightline Association. Fundraising comes in all shapes and sizes and we want to give you the best support possible. Have a look at our fundraising and events page for more ideas, or get in touch with our fundraising team at enquiries@nightline.ac.uk and we’ll be more than happy to discuss how to make your fundraising activity a huge success!

What fundraising support does the Nightline Association offer?

When you sign up to fundraising for Nightline Association, we will do everything we can to help you ensure your fundraising is a success. Our fundraising team is always available and will work with you to share ideas, best practice and top tips to make the most out of your fundraising experience.

Everyone’s fundraising is different, and whatever you need to succeed we’ll do what we can to make sure you have the support you need!

Where will my money go?

The Nightline Associations aim is for every student to have access to confidential, non-judgemental, emotional peer-support. The money that is donated through fundraising is spent where the charity needs it the most. We focus on developing, supporting and promoting Nightline Services and almost every penny raised goes into meeting our charitable objectives (Most charities spent around 80% of their fundraising on their core objectives, at Nightline Association this is closer to 99%)

How do I pay in my fundraising?

There are a few different ways to pay in the fundraising, it’s entirely up to you what you choose:

• Count up your donations and send it as a donation on your online Giving Page.
• Sending a cheque made out to ‘Nightline Association’ to Nightline Association, Lytchett House, 13 Freeland Park, Wareham Road, Poole, Dorset, BH16 6FA.
• Pay by bank transfer – contact our fundraising team at enquiries@nightline.ac.uk for more information.