A life in the day of a (UNPAID) Telephone Advice Worker

Collar turned up, head bowed and struggling up Park Row’s very own ‘cardiac hill’ I faced my first day at apas – no it wasn’t raining heavily, I just didn’t want to be recognised and thought to have an alcohol problem (In any case I think I have always hidden it exceptionally well!!)

And just when I thought it can’t get any harder what about that staircase (“don’t stare up the steps- step up the stairs”? – don’t make me laugh I thought I’d joined a combat battalion – 5 minutes ago I was at the bottom of Maid Marion Way and now I feel like I’ve just scaled K2).

Then, to see the Advice Workers Room. After carefully negotiating the cat, which had a well-established look on its face as if to say please don’t try to swing me round again - you know there’s no room, I surveyed my surroundings. A piece of information on the desk indicated we ran a ‘prison service’ – ah, so that’s where they got the idea for this room from, but I was at a loss to find a coffee making machine – perhaps there was no more space to fit a plug? However, in estate agency speak ‘a cosy, easily maintained little place’

So into the kitchen and fighting off my new-found agoraphobia I met some of my new colleagues (I did wonder why everyone seemed to meet in the kitchen – were their rooms the same as mine?).

Anyway it was down to some heavy learning, but first there were the introductions – who we were, a little bit about ourselves and our favourite drink (Detox here I come). However, placed at ease by the students’ ‘honesty’ (?) - student 1 = tea, student 2 = coke (I assumed he meant coca cola) and student 3 = coffee, I admitted to ‘1 or 2’ Budweiser's – a week. (Well if the students can use poetic license..)

The learning came thick and fast with some staggering information on the effects of alcohol and associated behaviours – loss of vitamin B, sequential brain closedown, loss of judgement/reasoning and behaviour like Neanderthal man (so much for students drinking tea etc) and so, so much more.

After the 2 weeks training (and my newly found abstinence – why did Nick have to tell us we were drinking chemicals/poison) I was ready to ‘watch with mother’ (sorry Raj/Aileen/Martin I mean the old programme on telly – you rememb…I’ll stop digging) – listening in on calls.

And that’s when the serious stuff began…I saw the apas team in action dealing with:

Drinkers, Carers, Significant Others, - the list seemed endless but all had the same problem - they were all affected by alcohol in one way or another. And here was the final piece of the jigsaw- bespoke training being joined by the application, knowledge & experience of professionals

Callers being put at their ease, reassured of confidentiality, given advice & support without judgement, empathy galore but no deviation if hard messages needed to be positioned. Their situation de-stigmatised, being afforded the knowledge that they were not alone, someone cared and was prepared to offer options and tangible support.

Since ‘graduating’ to undertaking calls and APAS Direct (drop-ins) I have found myself moved by all kinds of emotions – sorrow, anger & elation to name but a few, and also some very heavy questions are coming through loud and clear…like

Why didn’t you contact us earlier? How come drugs & cigarettes have health/wealth warnings but not alcohol? Who taught you to drink in such a cavalier manner? Why does the drinks industry bombard youngsters with liver busting ‘pop’. And the list goes on.

(I just wish we could change people’s perceptions and de-stigmatise alcohol problems so we may be seen more as a half-way house rather than the last chance saloon) However, mustn’t get on my high horse….

So, in closing, I am often asked what I do at APAS (at least by those drinking friends I have left) and often relate: I am one of Nick’s inebriatricians, I talk about drink, drugs, sex and rock & roll (yeh, I’ve heard it before – all talk) and I believe I make a difference.

And why do I do it for nowt? (No, not just because Nick’s tight) I needed to put something back into the community from which I have earned a living and those two words you get on occasions are priceless – Thank You

A New Advice Worker Reports

I had known of apas for some time and liked what I had seen.  So, when the opportunity came to be involved in an unpaid capacity, I jumped at the chance.

The training was a shock.  Six days, six whole days!  God made the Earth in that time, what were apas trying to achieve?

I came away from the training head buzzing, with ideas and information and a big folder.  However, one idea was very clear.

You are not alone.  If in doubt, ask.

Six months on and this is how it has worked out for me.  Seeing myself, and being treated as, part of the team.  That is how it has worked.

I feel as if the team are glad to have me there.

The final part of the training, ‘sitting by Nellie’ as it used to be called, was the icing on the training cake.  Thank God for Nellie.

Then that moment, the first call, solo, Chocks away, ‘ My name is Jayne, how can I help?’ Nick’s voice in my head ‘keep it simple, they’ve already had the intro’.

And there I was, listening.  Thanking God for the too long training!

Then the paperwork, the lovely paperwork.

And the panic.

The phone is ringing again and I haven’t finished the last bluey and I’ve started a banana.

Priority phone, chew fast, instant calm, ‘hello, my name is Jayne, how can I help?’

This is fun but I will be glad when it is one o’clock and off to Brown Betty’s.

A voice in my ear, ‘Jayne, we have a walk-in, can you come?’

Music to me.  Face to face.  This is the business.  All thoughts of Brown Betty’s gone.