Each week we will post a summary of interesting and representative 211 calls. This week, we have connections from New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.

New Brunswick:

When a caller has suffered a shock, they might not be ready or able to receive referrals right away. Service Navigators are sensitive to this, and can adapt by giving information and referrals in a way that works best for the client.

A 211 Service Navigator received a call from a woman who had recently received a new diagnosis of cancer. She was crying on the phone and overwhelmed with the news. She told the Service Navigator that she did not have a lot of time to talk.

The caller said that she wanted resources/support for cancer patients. She was crying a lot, and also stated she did not have a pen and paper. The Service Navigator displayed empathy for the caller’s situation, and let her talk about her emotions. The Service Navigator offered to send information on cancer support organizations with their contact details by email. The caller agreed to that and thanked the Service Navigator for the service.

A list of organizations was emailed to her. She replied that she would be in contact with some of them, and thanked the Service Navigator again for taking the time to listen to her and to email her the resources.

Newfoundland and Labrador:

COVID creates so many different problems in addition to the obvious health issues. 211 Service Navigators will assess a situation holistically, and help callers decide on a plan to resolve their problems.

A woman called 211 and shared that she had gotten COVID-19 and had temporarily not been able to work. She told the Service Navigator that her workplace had claimed that she had worked fewer hours than she actually had, so she had received less funds than she should have. She was taking this issue up with her union. However, in the meantime, she was looking for help for being behind on her rent and for other assistance for her bills.

The Service Navigator on the first call provided her with information and referrals to agencies that could assist her with housing and other costs. Since she was having a very tough time financially, he had offered her the option of a follow up call, which she accepted.

When the follow up call occurred, the Service Navigator on that call learned that the caller had connected to some of the resources and applied for help. However, she had lost one of the phone numbers. The Service Navigator went over the referrals again, and made sure that the caller had all of the necessary information. At the end of the call, the caller said: “It’s so nice to know that people are out there to help.”