Helpline Manager of MWN Helpline, Salma Latif Hamid has quickly learned no day is ever the same when running a busy Helpline. She begins each day with a silent prayer to do her best for the Creator, vulnerable service users and herself. Here Salma reflects on her role since joining the team in October 2024. 

I joined MWNUK at a pretty impressive milestone. Not only am I working with a compassionate and dedicated team of strong Muslim women, but I am in a role that has been created, nurtured and developed over the last 10 years. An important responsibility that I don’t take lightly.  

I applied for the MWN Helpline Manager role last year having worked from home since the strange era of Covid-19. I was ready to leave the comfort of my ‘home office’ and take on a new challenge with another charity. I knew about MWNUK, admiring from afar how the charity is faithfully dedicated to women and girls, justice and achieving meaningful change. I was interviewed on a Friday morning - the same day I was leaving for a pre-planned camping weekend; and received the offer over the phone later that day, as I pushed down on the last few tent pegs. Such a memorable way to begin a new venture! 

Since October 2024, I have climbed the 19 steps each day to the MWNUK office offering a silent prayer to do my best for my Creator, for the service users, for the charity and for myself. I take this job seriously because I understand and appreciate how much time, energy and care has been dedicated already to the service we offer to women and girls in the UK.  

Each member of the MWN Helpline team is necessary - together they ensure the Helpline runs effectively and efficiently. Systems, processes and procedures have been created and improved over the years, so the service runs carefully. Nothing is perfect and there’s always room for improvement somewhere, but right now the Helpline is working well.  

You know that cliche – you learn something new every day? I genuinely do. I enjoy speaking with every member of the Helpline team. They all bring something unique to their role and I regularly find myself scribbling down thoughts and ideas following our conversations. The Helpline cannot work without the team, so their insight is important to drive developments where necessary.  

The MWN Helpline is a hum of focused activity. Staff enter the Helpline room, collect their notebooks and headsets from the metal cabinet and settle in before we discuss their case allocations. We always check in with each other first, sharing news about our personal lives. The cold weather is a hot topic at the moment!  

Cases are discussed, safeguarding ones in more detail and Helpline tasks are allocated: emails, voicemails, Amal Safety app, webchats and the text/WhatsApp phone. By 10am staff are ready to take incoming calls and contact service users according to the case list I email daily. They are all so committed and passionate about their work that I must remind them regularly to take a break from the computer screens! 

Unless I'm in a meeting, my office door remains open so staff can update me on safeguarding cases, ask questions and we can discuss new calls. The team are also extremely polite and are always sorry for disturbing me no matter how many times I tell them they are not. 

As well as room 4, the shared kitchen is another space to take a short break and make a hot drink. Our lovely volunteer, Mona, is creating a Chai chart so no excuses for any of us making the wrong drink in the wrong mug! 

Whilst the team are answering calls, working on cases and catching up with one another in the Helpline room, I go through my tasks: analysing safeguarding cases, answering emails, writing case reviews, planning staff training and supervisions, reading documents to update our Helpline procedures and attending internal meetings as there is much more to do and learn.  

I have attended some local events over the last 3 months, all based around violence against women and girls and how organisations need to work collaboratively to prevent this from happening. I have met some amazing people, shared contact details and promoted our Helpline with as many attendees as possible. I want them all to know, understand and appreciate the important work we do and how we are supporting women and girls. 

Each day flies by! No day is the same and before I know it the Helpline has closed at 4pm and staff are following the ‘shutdown procedure’ by around 4.45pm. I see them through the large window that separates my office and the Helpline room: computers switched off, handwritten notes pushed through the locked ‘confidential paper’ bin, notebooks and headsets returned to the metal cabinet and locked, desks wiped down and windows and blinds closed. We have a final catch up on cases actioned and new cases created, share evening plans and TV documentary recommendations. Then staff leave - the Helpline room is silent again. 

I return to my office and review the cases on the Helpline to plan for the next day. As Helpline Manager I need to ensure the team is prepared. I email the case allocations for the following day, close cases that no longer require Helpline support and take a final look at safeguarding cases. I take some time to reflect on the day, check my diary for the rest of the week and go through my ‘action list’ spreadsheet, adding and deleting as necessary.  

I was gifted a ‘Shine Bright’ mug from colleagues in my last role. It sits on my desk, between the keyboard and computer screens,  and currently holds petty cash receipts. I look at this mug in the morning and before I leave the office. It serves as a great reminder to me that every day I also need to shine bright, to do my best, just as all the wonderful women in the MWN Helpline team do!