Lifeline
Walker launched Lifeline in Sydney, Australia in 1963 after a call from a distressed man who three days later took his own life. Walker launched a crisis line which initially operated out of the Methodist Central Mission in Sydney.
Lifeline Sydney was two years in planning and preparation, with 150 people attending a nine month training course to work at the Centre. A century old, dilapidated building owned by the Mission, on the fringes of downtown Sydney was renovated for the purposes of this new support centre. A staff of full-time employees was appointed to direct the work of these new telephone crisis support workers. The Director General of Post and Telephone Services authorised that this crisis support service should be listed on the Emergency Page of the Telephone Directory and the phones were installed.
March 1963 saw the opening of the first official Lifeline Centre. The initiative was well received with over 100 calls for help being answered on the first day. Today, Lifeline has over 11,000 volunteers and speak to more than 400,000 people in Crisis every year.
Read more about this topic: Alan Walker (theologian)