Prince William Discusses "Terrifying" Volunteering Experience at a Mental Health Helpline

Prince William has detailed a "terrifying" volunteering experience he had in 2020.

On March 6, Prince William visited the Mental Health Innovations (MHI) charity in London. During the visit, the Prince of Wales discussed the first time he volunteered at a mental health crisis helpline for young people. William explained, via The Independent, "I did volunteering for a bit...and some of those conversations lived with me for quite a long time afterwards, and you always say to yourself, 'Did I give enough, did I do enough, did I find the right answer?'"

Reflecting on the experience, Prince William noted, "The resource thing is really important because when you're in a mental health crisis, the last thing you want to do is read more stuff." As for his very first session volunteering, the Prince of Wales said, "The first one was quite terrifying."

Prince William, Princess Kate, Meghan Markle, and Prince Harry launched Shout, a mental health texting service, in 2019. At the time, the Prince of Wales said (via The Guardian), "As texting is private and silent, it opens up a whole new way to find help." He continued, "You can have a conversation anywhere, at anytime: at school, at home, anywhere."

Princess Kate explained, "It's able to offer support when it is crucially needed and the opportunity to turn lives around. This really is an important step for those desperately in need."

While launching the service, Prince William addressed how challenging volunteering can be. "[Volunteering] is not for everyone...There are some very difficult conversations," he explained (via The Guardian). "You need to be able to listen without judgment on a range of issues from suicidal thoughts to bullying, abuse, sexuality, self-harm, and relationships."