By Alec Carlson
Staff Writer
Costa students are constantly looking for new ways to get involved in their community. Senior Noelle Medbery chooses to spend her free time volunteering at Community Helpline.
Community Helpline is an organization staffed mostly by young adults who answer crisis calls from those in need of emotional support. Everyone who works there is trained to deal with people’s blights of all variations.
“I answer calls from people who are lonely and have a lot going on and need someone to talk to to help them get through the night,” Medbery said.
Medbery found her passion for helping people in eighth grade when she had to help a friend recover from depression.
“I realized through that experience that there are people out there who are struggling to get by,” Medbery said. “The thought of people going through the turbulence of life alone is what inspires me to help.”
According to Medbery, listening and helping these callers has been one of her greatest pleasures. Hearing from the callers that she has helped with their problems brings great satisfaction and drives her to extend her help to more individuals in the future.
“I love doing this because the people I talk to are able to trust me with their problems, and having them know I am always here to listen makes me feel like I have made a difference,” Medbery said.
Medbery got involved with this program through her cousin, Costa junior Lauren Gervais. After a year of experience, Medbery now mentors new kids on how to answer the phones.
“Working with Noelle at Community Helpline has made us able to hang out during and after work and has facilitated a connected friendship,” Medbery’s associate, Patrick McDermott, said.
Listening to these calls, though rewarding, can be a trying task. Medbery sometimes has to end calls due to situations that are more emotionally taxing than what is expected.
“I have to take a break after some calls and talk to some of the other listeners to get the burden off of my chest,” Medbery said. “However, when all is said and done, I always feel confident that I have helped that person.”
Medbery volunteers at the Community Helpline three times a week. She trains newcomers for two of those days, and she answers crisis calls on the third day.
“The amount of time the program demands is easily manageable,” Medbery’s mother, Sue Oliver, said. “Noelle has taken her leadership position very seriously and manages her time very well.”
Medbery plans to follow a career in psychology and uses Community Helpline to get first-hand experience in the field. Rather than learning merely from a book, this real world experience allows her to prepare herself for her future.
“I feel as though working here has truly helped me greatly in my decision to continue with psychology in the future,” Medbery said.
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