INTERNATIONAL NORMS

I. Telephone Emergency Services are available, at any time, to any person wishing to make contact, regardless of his/her age, sex, religion or nationality.

2. Any caller has the right to be listened to and respected regards of his/her beliefs, convictions and personal choices.

3. Listening is offered in a welcoming and open attitude and the listener's golden rule is never to impose any obligation to the caller.

4. The contents of a call are highly confidential within the Branches, especially with regard to any information pertaining to private lives.

5. During a telephone conversation, the listener should remain strictly anonymous and the caller has the right to remain anonymous.

6. Branches work on a voluntary basis, listeners having been selected, trained and supervised with a view to constantly improving their listening competence.

7. Emergency Telephone Services are entirely free of charge to the caller.

August 1994