Phillip Job

First Duty

'The first duty of love is to listen'
Paul Tillich

When was the last time you listened to someone?

Really listened?

It’s a hard thing to do, isn’t it?

Give someone your complete and undivided attention; have your focus completely on them and what they are saying; not thinking about what you are going to say yourself, or how what they are telling you reminds you of your own experiences.

Just listen to them.

This project is a study of listening as practiced by some of the 17,000 listening volunteers at the Samaritans helpline

Images of volunteers answering the calls, and interviews with them describing their experience

Francesca in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear

Luke in the darkened Samaritans phone room with the phone to his right ear looking towards his left

Kirsty in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear

Andy in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to his left ear

Debbie in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her right ear

Annie in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear as she leans forward

Nina in the Samaritans phone room leaning back in her chair with the phone to her left ear

Amanda in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear

Nancy in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear and a pen in her right

Sandra in the Samaritans phone room leaning back in her chair, with a phone to her left ear

Dominic in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to his right ear

Francesca in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear staring straight ahead

Luke in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to his right ear and looking down to a piece of paper on his left

Kirsty in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear

Andy in the Samaritans phone room with a headset on, he is talking and his right hand is open

Debbie in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear

Annie in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear as she looks down straight in front of her

Nina in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear, she is looking down to her right

Amanda in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear as she looks down to her right

Nancy in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear with a pen in her right

Sandra in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear with a pen in her open right

Dominic in the Samaritans phone room with the phone in his left hand but to his right ear apparently taking notes

Francesca in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear looking slightly upwards

Luke in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to his left ear looking to his right

Kirsty in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear looking up to the ceiling

Andy in the Samaritans phone room with a headset facing forward but with his eyes looking slightly up

Debbie in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her right ear as she looks ahead but slightly to the left

Annie in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear as she looks to her left

Nina in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear as she looks to her right

Amanda in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear as she looks up with her right hand clenched

Nancy in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear as she looks down to her left with a pen in her right hand pushed against her cheek

Sandra in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear as she looks to her right

Dominic in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to his right ear as he looks away to the left

Francesca in the Samaritans phone room with a phone in her right hand held up to her left ear as she makes notes with her left hand

Luke in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to his left ear as he looks down to his right

Kirsty in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear as she looks down to her right and a pens is visible in her right hand

Andy in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to his left ear as he looks down aparently reading something in front of him

Debbir in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her right ear but held with her left as she looks down as if she's writing

Annie in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear as she looks down to her right and a pens is visible in her right hand

Nina in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear, she is looking down to her right slightly, apparently writing something

Amanda in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear as she looks down to her right and a pens is visible in her right hand

Nancy in the Samaritans phone room leading back with a phone to her left ear

Sandra in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear as she looks down in front of her and her left hand is raised

Dominic in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to his right ear

Francesca in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear and her right hand raised with two fingers in the air

Luke in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to his right ear and smiling

Kirsty in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear smily slightly

Andy in the Samaritans phone room with a headset. He has his hand on his head and is smiling

Debbie in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her right ear and her left arm reaching out slightly

Annie in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear as she is smiling slightly

Nina in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear with her eys closed

Amanda in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear as she looks up with her right hand clenched

Nancy in the Samaritans phone room leaning forward with the phone to her left ear and smiling

Sandra in the Samaritans phone room leaning back in her chair, with a phone to her left ear and smiling

Dominic in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to his right ear

Francesca in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear looking down to her right

Luke in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to his right ear and looking down to a piece of paper on his left

Kirsty in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear and her right hand across her face with her eyes closed

Andy in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to his left ear. He is looking down in front of him and his right hand is on his head

Debbie in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her right ear, her left hand is raised up across her chest to the base of her neck

Annie in the Samaritans phone room leaning back in her chair with the phone to her left ear as she looks straight ahead

Nina in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear, somewhere to her right

Amanda in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear as she looks up with her face resting on her clenched right hand

Nancy in the Samaritans phone room leaning forward with the phone to her left ear as she stares right ahead

Sandra in the Samaritans phone room leaning back in her chair, with a phone to her left ear and her right hand also close to her mouth

Dominic in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to his right ear and his forehead resting on his open left hand

Francesca in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear leaning back in a chair with her eyes closed

Luke in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to his right ear facing stright ahead but with is eyes looking slightly to the left

Kirsty in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear looking up straight ahead

Andy in the Samaritans phone room leaning back in his chair with the phone to his left ear held in his right with his arm round behind his head

Debbie in the Samaritans phone room leaning back in her chair with the phone to her right ear

Annie in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear as she leans forward with her right hand up to her chest

Nina in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear and her right hand raised to her right ear

Amanda in the Samaritans phone room with a phone to her left ear as she looks up with her right hand clenched

Nancy in the Samaritans phone room leaning forward with the phone to her left ear

Sandra in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to her left ear

Dominic in the Samaritans phone room with the phone to his right ear and his chin resting on his left hand

Francesca between calls in the Samaritans phone room, she is standing at the back looking at the notices

Luke between call in the Samaritans phone room with his right hand raised to his face

Kirsty between calls in the Samaritans phone room with the her hand holding her hair up to her mouth

Andy in the Samaritans phone room between calls. He sits upright facing into the dark room

Debbie between calls in the Samaritans phone room, she is looking slightly to her right with her left hand held to her chin

Annie in the Samaritans phone room with her chin resting on her right hand, her left is laid across in front her her, lost in thought

Nina in between calls in the Samaritans phone room with her chin resting on her clenched hand

Nancy between calls in the Samaritans phone room leaning back in her chair

Sandra between calls in the Samaritans phone room, is turned slightly to her right and stares straight aheard

Dominic between calls in the Samaritans phone room, drinking from a mug