Behind the walls: Samaritans and the Pr*son Listener scheme

Samaritans' work in prisons flows from a core vision: that fewer people die by suicide. With prisoners six times more likely to take their own lives than the general public, the acute need in this community has driven Samaritans' partnership with HM Pr*son and Probation Service. For over 30 years, Samaritans has been aiding and training prisoners to give confidential emotional support to their peers through the Listener scheme - first introduced in 1991, and now operating in almost every Pr*son in the UK and Ireland.

“Without their (the Listeners) help, I'm not sure what would have happened to me. You hear about people in Pr*son taking their own lives. I'd like to think I wouldn't have gone down that route, but I was in a really, really bad way." Anonymous

Typically, around 1,500 Pr*son Listeners respond to over 50,000 requests for support annually. Samaritans also answered over 365,000 calls from people in Pr*son in 2021.

The award-winning Listener scheme aims to support mental health and reduce suicidality, but it also serves to build connection and purpose while giving people skills they can carry with them beyond Pr*son.

Cambridge Samaritans has been running the Listener scheme at HMP Littlehey near Huntingdon for many years. We are delighted to share our experience with the Open Cambridge Festival audience and shown how training, listening and human connection can make a real difference behind Pr*son walls.