Samaritans support stressed students
The Samaritans today warned Leaving Certificate exam students not to bottle up anxieties over results in coming days.
About 60,000 pupils will be hoping they get enough points for 38,000 CAO places at colleges and universities, more than 20,000 PLC courses and 7,000 apprenticeships.
The Samaritans said students will be experiencing several emotions, with which volunteers are trained to deal.
Regional publicity officer Avril Halley said: “Some students may feel guilty they haven’t worked hard enough. Some may feel ashamed that they won’t get the results their peers or their parents or their teachers expect of them.
“Don’t bottle it up. If you can’t talk to your parents, if you can’t talk to your friends, if you can’t talk to your teachers, please talk to the Samaritans. We’re there by telephone and email.”
The Samaritans freephone number is not itemised on telephone bills and if callers don’t have enough credit, they will be called back, with their permission.
Ms Halley added: “Parents get very anxious as well, because they want the best for their kids. They are protective of them, so of course they will get worried about them. They may have seen their child working hard for a very long time and they want them to do well.”
Counselling exam students is part of the specific training given to Samaritans volunteers.
The Samaritans received 11,000 texts in the first weeks of a pilot texting service launched in May. It is currently reviewing the service, with a view to expanding it across all centres nationwide.
The Samaritans can be contacted at 1850 609090 or by email at jo@samaritans.org.
Meanwhile, the National Parents’ Council Exam Helpline goes live at 8am on Wednesday. The 1800 265165 number will provide advice and guidance to students and parents when the Leaving Certificate results are issued later this month.
The helpline is sponsored by the Department of Education and Science, The Irish Independent and Eircom and will be operated by experienced members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors.
Minister for Education Mary Hanafin stressed that there was a vast array of courses available, including 38,000 CAO places at colleges and universities, more than 20,000 on PLC courses and 7,000 apprenticeship places.
Queries are expected to focus on CAO offers, rechecks of examination results, course requirements and grants.
