FRSB and Samaritans to train charities in handling difficult calls from the public
Howard Lake | 22 September 2011 | News
The Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) is to work with Samaritans to provide training for supporter care staff and fundraisers in responding to complaints from unhappy supporters or members of the public.
The Handling Difficult Contacts course is designed to give delegates the skills and confidence to respond sensitively and appropriately to complaints. It is based on the techniques employed by Samaritans Listening volunteers to effectively respond to emotional and distressed callers of their helpline.
The programme follows the success of regional training workshops delivered to FRSB member charities during the year.
The one-day course teaches skills such as strategies to calm an emotional situation, techniques to defuse angry and aggressive contacts, showing that callers have been listened to and understood, and ending contacts sensitively and professionally.
The open course is hosted by FRSB or as a bespoke in-house training programme for up to 20 individuals.
Alistair McLean, Chief Executive of the self-regulatory body for fundraising, the Fundraising Standards Board, said: “Looking after your supporters is essential, but it isn’t always easy. Complainants can be particularly tricky to handle and yet, these sensitive discussion are often the determining factor for whether the supporter stays or goes. It is crucial that supporter care staff and fundraisers get it right.”
www.frsb.org.uk
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.