Be a Better Phone Friend

Three. Proud partner of Samaritans. Samaritans is a registered charity.

We call, we chat. We hear them. But are we really listening?

Sometimes, listening is the only thing they need. It can be the difference between feeling connected and safe.
Or feeling all alone. But it’s not as easy as it sounds.

In a world where we're often told to talk, we can all learn to be better listeners.

That's why we're partnering with Samaritans. To help everyone learn how to become a Better Phone Friend.

What's your listening style?

Together with Samaritans, we’ve uncovered different styles of listening.

Find out which one best describes you and get some tips on how to improve.

The Interviewer

The Worrier

The Attention Splitter

The Fixer

The Filler

Samaritans SHUSH listening tips

Knowing how to give the best support to people you care about isn’t always easy.

Samaritans’ SHUSH listening tips will help you be a Better Phone Friend.

“It took me a good five minutes to feel like I could speak, and I remember crying for a good while. It felt good to tell someone unreservedly how I felt and have someone listen."

Stephanie, 32 - Samaritans caller

“I like listening to people and supporting them through hard times. Samaritans offer a non-judgemental helpline, so people can share really honestly. I am proud that our organisation is there 24/7 – especially through the night. It’s good to know that one of us volunteers are on the end of the phone when people need us the most.”

Leonie, Huddersfield - Samaritans Volunteer

Support Samaritans

Samaritans is there for anyone struggling to cope, any time of the day or night. There are 201 Samaritans branches across the UK and Ireland and more than 20,000 people volunteer for Samaritans. In 2020 Samaritans volunteers spent over one million hours responding to calls for help.

A donation of just £5 can help answer a call for help. A call that could save a life.

Why Three?