Samaritans to boost volunteer numbers by 20% and focus on high risk groups

Samaritans Ireland Executive Director, Niall Mulligan. The organisation intends to increase their volunteer numbers by a fifth in the coming years

The Samaritans intend to increase their volunteer numbers by a fifth in the coming years and to boost access for callers in high risk or harder to reach groups so as to reduce the risk of suicide.

The plans are outlined in the charity's new five-year strategy to be launched this week, which also contains initiatives to target suicide and self-harm in the criminal justice system.