By Jamie Sarson, a current NTU Psychology student
My name is Jamie Sarson and I currently reside on the management committee of the national anxiety charity No Panic. No Panic supports those living with Panic Attacks, Phobias, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders, and other related anxiety disorders through offering a helpline service, as well as a number of other support opportunities, such as 1-1 mentoring and group work. Unfortunately, the majority of people that suffer from anxiety related issues will not receive help because of overstretched health services, which means it is up to charities like No Panic to provide help and support to those that are suffering.
No Panic’s guiding philosophy is that people can and do recover from mental health issues, no matter how severe they might be. The charity focuses on helping people to believe that they can go on and live fulfilled lives as each and every one of us will experience a dip in our mental health at different times. Someone’s age, gender, class, or economic background are irrelevant in when or how they develop a disorder, which is why it is essential for everyone to be aware of how they can help themselves or someone else, whether it be through their support network or pointing them in the direction of an organisation like No Panic that can give them the necessary help that they need.
I found No Panic when searching for experience to help me in my psychology undergraduate degree. Initially what attracted me was the specialisation in helping people suffering from anxiety related problems as it was something that resonated with me as a student. The whole process of moving to a new city, meeting completely new people, and having constant deadlines was something quite alien to myself and so I felt myself experiencing a lot of anxiety. Had I known about external services, such as No Panic, I think it would have provided me with some reassurance as another support network. The role I applied for at the charity was a helpline volunteer and they were very quick to get back to me on starting training. From there I engaged in a training course, provided by the chair Lynne, which was an incredibly informative guide on how to conduct a helpline call. This started with learning about anxiety and the subsequent conditions and then led to regular practices with other volunteers on the training course. By the end of this, I felt confident and ready to start on the helpline.
I went into my first shift a little hesitant, having not spoken to a real caller yet; however, I immediately felt more as ease as I started to use what I had learnt in my training. What had started off as quite broken conversations quickly turned into longer more meaningful exchanges with the callers on the other end of the line. As a help liner, I continue to work a 3 hour shift each week where I provide on-going support to new and repeat callers. I have found each individual has a different issue and it is up to me as a help liner to provide suitable support where necessary.
After around a year on the helpline I was really fortunate to have been asked to join the management committee as a trustee. I believe the charity wanted the opinion of a young person on what could be done to promote growth and awareness of its services. We decided that a great way of doing this would be to establish ourselves in a number of universities around the country with the student population. This would require a number of student ambassadors from each university who would promote the services within the charity and raise overall awareness. We then agreed that it would be beneficial for me to assume the role of Lead Student Ambassador and to act as a point of call, while also giving feedback to the management committee at the charity. Some of my first tasks involved interviewing potential volunteers and assigning tasks to those that got the role. A big deciding factor in who we appointed was the individual’s passion and enthusiasm for wanting to represent No Panic. It is crucial that anyone serving as a student ambassador shares the same level of dedication to the charity as all the volunteers.
This is where we are currently up to, and we continue to look for volunteers for both our helpline and student ambassador roles here at Nottingham Trent and across all other universities. If you or anyone you know might be interested in joining No Panic to fill any of these roles or anyone that might benefit from the services we offer, then please share!
Thank you!
For help, advice and resources whilst studying at NTU, take a look at the following for sources of support.
Support from NTU
Self-Care books in NTU’s libraries
Silvercloud: SilverCloud is our online system designed to help with a range of mental health issues.
Health and Wellbeing resources
NTSU Information and Advice service
Wellness in Mind: Advice and support for anyone in Nottingham experiencing issues with their mental wellbeing
Student Minds or Student Space
10 Keys to happiness
Mind
Papyrus
CALM
Healthy NTU 