About Us

The aim of Switchboard is:

To relieve the mental and emotional crises suffered by persons who are
homosexual, bisexual or in doubt about their sexual identity or by those who
may be affected by or involved with such persons. In particular by the giving of advice, counsel and help from members of the organisation working under direction who are selected and prepared to give such advice, counsel and help.

How we achieve this:

Switchboard has two main functions. The first, and perhaps foremost, is that
of a telephone help-line - we provide information, suggestions, a listening
ear, comfort etc. to callers on the phone, all in the strictest of
confidence.

The other function is known as befriending; two members meet a caller in
person, maybe for a chat over coffee, maybe to take her/him to a club or social group. Whatever the befriending situation the caller has been offered, the opportunity of meeting with members of Switchboard will be arranged if both the member and caller thinks that it would be of benefit. We can only offer our befriending service to callers we have spoken to personally on the telephone.

The services of Switchboard are available to anyone regardless of sexual
orientation, gender, race, ethnic background, religion, age or disability.

What we don’t do:

We never make judgements about callers or their reason/s for calling.

We don't tell callers what to do or make decisions for them about their
sexuality.

We are not counsellors (although some of our members have counselling
training, it has not been targeted to lesbians/gays/bisexuals - nor tailored
to the requirements of Switchboard).

We are not a telephone sex line or dating agency. Under no circumstances do
we endorse or give out telephone numbers of sex lines, dating agencies, sex
workers, masseurs etc.

We do not give out information on the whereabouts of public sex environments, cruising areas, cottages etc.

We are not an AIDS line nor are we medically trained, but we do give out information on Safer Sex.