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Research and Testimonials

An independent evaluation undertaken by the University of Liverpool Management School in 2021, gathered qualitative data about the positive impact of the project on users of the service and those acting as volunteer therapists. The following quotes from the evaluation report summarise the various ways in which it has a positive impact.

Impact on clients

  • Clients celebrated the ability of the service to help them find new ways to address situations a manage what felt like overwhelming problems.
  • Clients welcomed the uplifting discoveries conversations unearthed about their own abilities and strengths.
  • The solution-focused approach allowed clients to stop and think about the way they once managed situations, building hope that they could deploy similar strategies again. 
  • The service encouraged a reflective approach, getting clients to notice more of their everyday actions than previously might have been the case. 
  • The simple act of having someone to talk to, and be listened to proved to be a very powerful benefit of service engagement.
  • The ability to receive support from one’s own home was described as particularly beneficial for those who were mentally/physically unable to leave their home
  • Timing mattered to both clients and volunteers. For clients, the timely responsiveness of the service was really appreciated
  • Furthermore, consistent with the flexibility and lack of a quota for sessions, even after stopping calls clients still felt they could rely on the service to be there for them if needed.

Impact on volunteers

  • Volunteers identified… benefits of working from home, in terms of the ability to be flexible and avoid the time and expense of commuting
  • For those who were relatively inexperienced in solution-focused therapy, talking over the phone was also seen as beneficial in allowing them to spend more time honing their skills and reducing potential distractions:
  • Volunteers described feeling that the organisation director and service manager were both approachable, which was important especially for those with relatively little relevant prior experience
  • In addition to the ability to reach out directly to the director and service manager for help when necessary, volunteers described ongoing group communication and support, particularly through use of a WhatsApp group:
  • In addition to learning from each other, volunteers also described learning from their clients and from the experience of service delivery, leading them to view this as more of a mutually beneficial setup than some had initially expected:

To read the full report and recommendations, please follow this link: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/humanities-and-social-sciences/research/coronavirus-research/talking/

Client testimonials

Below is a sample of the things that clients who have used Let’s Keep Talking have said about our service:

I am 66, live alone and have no family close by who can visit me. This service has made a huge difference, not just to my lockdown experience but also to my whole life. I have been able to start to change my attitude to my daily experience. Rather than concentrating on feelings of isolation and loneliness, a new habit is developing of thinking “what has worked well for me so far today”. This positive focus is so much better for my mental and emotional health and I have noticed that I am looking more at the “light side of life” rather than the “dark side” which is such a comfort and encouragement in these difficult times.

Like I said to you last week you’re like a compass to me, you haven’t got me lost in my problems you’ve got me kicking against them thinking what I can do about them. I like the way you ask me questions about how I see myself, it’s like you help me get to the south on the compass, somewhere warmer.

I have been talking to my LKT caller a for a number of months now. She often listens and when needed asks questions to help guide which I have found to be very comforting. I sometimes tell her things that I wouldn’t discuss with anyone else. At the end of each session she asks me to rate my progress on a scale. This has enabled me to see my progress and recognise when I have positive experiences in my life. Overall, this service has helped me significantly.

Because of my past trauma I just wanted to look at the past. Since our phone call I can tell that I’m not living in the past I’m living in the now and I can make my own happiness… I just wanted to say a big thank you. It’s the greatest thing ever.