Nightline is the name given to a confidential and anonymous listening, emotional support, information, and supplies service run by students for students at universities all around the world. The very first Nightline service was set up here at the University of Essex in 1970, by Professor Geoffrey Hosking, a former director of the local Samaritans branch, and the University chaplain Reverend Malcolm France, along with a couple of student volunteers. Before Nightline was set up the university had one of the highest rates of suicide in the country.
The first ever Nightline duty took on May 7th 1970 took place in a disused hut on the edge of the University grounds. Geoffrey Hosking remembers the first duty and described it as “Two little rooms that could be used as bedrooms, and a room for an office.” And despite a shift lasting from 10pm to 8am, there was, he recalls wryly, no inside loo, “so we had to improvise”. From these humble beginnings, Nightline on campus now has an entire flat in Keynes tower, manned every night of term with over 100 student volunteers giving their time and devotion to the service. Nationally, the Nightline service is in over 40 universities, with around 2000 volunteers in the UK.
Nightline was founded on the understanding that some students would be reluctant to approach outsiders for help and would find it easier to speak to another student. Nightline understands that university is a time of many changes and challenges and being able to talk to a peer, someone who understands what you’re going through can empathise, and that can make a difference. The overall aims of nightline are, every student is able to talk about their feelings in a safe environment, fewer students have their education compromised by emotional difficulties, and fewer students die by suicide.
Nightline offers a telephone listening service to provide support and information to services the caller may need to help solve their issue. It also provides a ‘drop-in’ service, where callers can talk to a Nightline volunteer in person. There is also an e-listening service, where you can contact nightline by email, as an additional means of support. In addition to the various listening services Nightline can supply condoms, pregnancy tests, personal attack alarms and women’s sanitary products. You can even use the ‘bed for a night’ service where students can come to Nightline to sleep, or hire a camp-bed if you have a friend visiting you.
Nightline is open from 10pm to 8am, every night of term so if you’re feeling stressed from exams I’d highly recommend popping in for some tea, toast and a chat.
Nightline Essex/Facebook
First Nightline in the country | The Rabbit Newspaper
Nightline is the name given to a confidential and anonymous listening, emotional support, information, and supplies service run by students for students at universities all around the world. The very first Nightline service was set up here at the University of Essex in 1970, by Professor Geoffrey Hosking, a former director of the local Samaritans branch, and the University chaplain Reverend Malcolm France, along with a couple of student volunteers. Before Nightline was set up the university had one of the highest rates of suicide in the country.
The first ever Nightline duty took on May 7th 1970 took place in a disused hut on the edge of the University grounds. Geoffrey Hosking remembers the first duty and described it as “Two little rooms that could be used as bedrooms, and a room for an office.” And despite a shift lasting from 10pm to 8am, there was, he recalls wryly, no inside loo, “so we had to improvise”. From these humble beginnings, Nightline on campus now has an entire flat in Keynes tower, manned every night of term with over 100 student volunteers giving their time and devotion to the service. Nationally, the Nightline service is in over 40 universities, with around 2000 volunteers in the UK.
Nightline was founded on the understanding that some students would be reluctant to approach outsiders for help and would find it easier to speak to another student. Nightline understands that university is a time of many changes and challenges and being able to talk to a peer, someone who understands what you’re going through can empathise, and that can make a difference. The overall aims of nightline are, every student is able to talk about their feelings in a safe environment, fewer students have their education compromised by emotional difficulties, and fewer students die by suicide.
Nightline offers a telephone listening service to provide support and information to services the caller may need to help solve their issue. It also provides a ‘drop-in’ service, where callers can talk to a Nightline volunteer in person. There is also an e-listening service, where you can contact nightline by email, as an additional means of support. In addition to the various listening services Nightline can supply condoms, pregnancy tests, personal attack alarms and women’s sanitary products. You can even use the ‘bed for a night’ service where students can come to Nightline to sleep, or hire a camp-bed if you have a friend visiting you.
Nightline is open from 10pm to 8am, every night of term so if you’re feeling stressed from exams I’d highly recommend popping in for some tea, toast and a chat.
Nightline Essex/Facebook