Ms Robinson has been with the charity for the past three years, and while she was most recently the crisis support manager, she is also among the volunteers who answer calls for help.

An average of 2000 calls for help are answered by Lifeline Central West’s (LCW) 120 crisis supporters each month.

Nationally, one million calls were made to the charity’s 13 11 14 number last year.

One of the most common questions Ms Robinson is asked by new people she meets is: “Is every call about an impending suicide?”.

And, it seems some callers to Lifeline also wonder the same thing and whether their problems were ‘big’ enough. They often ask: “I’m not suicidal, is it OK to talk to you?”.

Ms Robinson said there was a huge range of reasons why people call Lifeline, including: loneliness, abuse, domestic violence, financial difficulties, gambling addiction and potential suicides.

“I know that because of us we keep people safe from suicidal actions just because we are there,” she said.

“I very confidently believe that if we get people calling us we’ve got a good chance of saving their lives. The fact that they’ve called us gives me hope that they’ve got something they’re holding on to.”

LCW executive officer Alex Ferguson said Ms Robinson’s “skill, knowledge and compassion” made her promotion a very easy decision.

He also said that Ms Robinson had developed a range of outreach training courses on: domestic violence, mental health, drug and alcohol, financial issues and gambling addiction.

Ms Robinson said she loved being part of the LCW team, and helping staff and volunteers to grow.

“I love the diversity of the team we have and being able to train and equip people and watch people grow,” she said.

“I love seeing their personal growth. [Crisis supporter] training teaches you to be a better person.”

Ms Robinson said calls made to Lifeline can be answered by any one of the charity’s call centres dotted around Australia.

“Being on the phone is a really privileged position to be in,” she said of those volunteer crisis supporters. “You get a real insight into people’s life journey and you get real insight into their experiences and tragedies.

“Because it is that anonymous service you get people show and confide in you.”

Ms Robinson said callers to the charity often admit they could confide in friends or family, and that was why they called Lifeline.

“That’s what’s so special about Lifeline, it’s that people can be vulnerable or open,” she said.

And while she may have stepped up to the role of centre manager, she will continue to undertake volunteer shifts on the phone as a crisis supporter.

“I don’t think I could do my role, or want to do my role, without having the credibility of being in the trenches with them,” she said.

“I think good leadership is that you’re in the trenches and I think I have a deep understanding of what the crisis supporters go through.”

Ms Robinson said Australia was very luck to have a free 24-hour service like Lifeline, and there were not many other countries that had such an initiative.

“We would save the taxpayers millions [of dollars] and millions a year,” she said.

Ms Robinson has urged the community not to be be afraid of calling Lifeline and asking for help.

“Don’t be fearful of judgement, or that your issue or crisis is not a big enough crisis,” she said. “You will be treated with respect and confidentiality.”