CALM is a charity based in England that supports those struggling with life to decrease the number of suicides and help those who need it. The problems you are having can be anything from mental illness or addiction to homelessness or debt CALM will still offer you support.
CALM’s History
The Department of Health first launched CALM with help from Jane Powell and Anthony Howard Wilson in Manchester on 15th December 1997 as a pilot project in response to a spike in young male suicides in the city. Later, it rolled out to Merseyside and Cumbria in 2000 and eventually to Luton and Bedfordshire.
After seven years, the Department of Health declared that the pilot project would end. After this, Jane Powell found that local commissioners and supporters wanted the project to keep going. So in response, she launched CALM as a National Charity on 31st March 2006. CALM’s launch as a National charity was supported by advertisements on MTV and billboards given by Clear Channel, Viacom and JCDecaux across England in April and May 2006. CALM’s inaugural trustee was the same Anthony Howard Wilson who helped with its launch as a pilot project.
In November 2011, CALM launched the London CALMzone.
Since its launch, CALM has aimed to prevent suicide among young men aged 15-35. However, due to the increased number of calls from men aged over 35 and the increased suicide rate of older men at the time. After consulting with its funder, supporters and commissioners, CALM changed its target demographic from young men aged 15-35 to all men, whatever age, in 2012. It now supports everyone, no matter the gender, who needs it to prevent suicide.
What does CALM do to help?
CALM aims to decrease the number of suicides by helping those struggling with life. They do this in many ways.
However, all of these ways can help someone who needs it.
Campaigns
CALM uses its campaigns to fight against stereotypes and stigma as they can prevent people from seeking support and talking about their problems. They also use sports, art, music, and anything to get people to understand and spread their message to help people seek support.
CALM also uses its campaigns to get people talking and raise awareness about mental health and other issues that can lead to suicide.
With the help of some of the most prominent organisations in the UK, CALM has done many good things and caused positive changes, like having the appointment of the world’s first minister for suicide prevention.
CALM’s Guides and Information on the Website
On CALM’s Website, you can find lots of helpful information to help you find and help yourself and other people like family or friends. These guides can help you find a way to help yourself or get help and give you information that can help you understand the problem more. The guides cover a wide range of the issues you can face in life, such as mental illness, abuse, homelessness, self-harm etc.
CALM’s website provides lots of helpful information like how to spot if somone needs some support and how to support them.
CALM’s Services
CALM provides some services that can provide support for those struggling with life.
Helpline
CALM’s helpline is for people in the UK who feel they need support or help because of their life problems. CALM trains helpline staff to listen, support, inform and signpost. As calls are confidential and anonymous, they don’t and can’t offer counselling services.
This service is suitable for those who want to speak with someone who will support them and give them the information they might need. However, it is not ideal for those who either can’t or dislike talking with people over the phone.
Calling the helpline from landlines, payphones, and mobiles is free because of OFCOM rules. The helpline is open seven days a week, from 5 pm to midnight.All calls are confidential and anonymous, so they won’t appear on your phone bill.
WebChat
CALM’s Webchat service is for people in the UK who want support or help because of their life problems. CALM’s trains webchat staff to listen, support, inform, and signpost so you can get further support from organisations that specialise in helping those in your situation. The webchat service is suitable for those who can’t or don’t want to speak to people on the phone and those who find it easier to express themselves through writing.
However, it is not suitable for those who need help urgently or struggle to express themselves through writing.
The webchat service is a confidential and free service like the helpline and is also open seven days a week, 5 pm to midnight.
CALM recommends you call the emergency services on 999 or the Samaritans on 116 123 if you need help urgently.
‘Find help on specific issues’ service.
This service is on their website and is helpful if you want to find organisations that specialise in the problem you need support with by yourself. This service is suitable for those who feel like they need a service CALM does not provide, like counselling and want to find one without asking anyone for help.
Confidentiality
CALM’s services are confidential, which means they will not disclose the nature of your call/chat or any information that has been shared with or gathered by the helpline or web chat services. However, there are times when CALM will break confidentiality without consent, Such as:
- When the helpline staff understands or is told that a person is actively suicidal and plans to carry it out now or very soon.
- If the helpline staff are told or understand that an act of self-harm has become life-threatening.
- When the helpline staff understands or is told by a person that they have seriously harmed someone else, and that person’s life is in danger.
In all these cases, CALM will break confidentiality and give information to the emergency services to hopefully save a life. CALM will also break confidentiality if:
- A caller informs the helpline of an act of terrorism that will occur.
- The law obliges the helpline to give information to Authorities that have the power to demand it, like the police.
- There is a legal requirement that forces them to provide relative information like a court order or country legislation.
- A user threatens the safety of CALM’s Helpline staff, the delivery of their service or any other person.
If you need support, you can go to CALM’s website using the link below.
https://www.thecalmzone.net/help/get-help/
If you need urgent support, call the emergency services on 999