🟢 Start Here
How “SWAT” started
Support Wall Action Teams (SWAT) are Heartsupport groups of online volunteers. They meet on a weekly a basis, on Discord, to read, listen and write encouraging messages to people who ask for help on Heartsupport’s anonymous forum.
If you spend time on the Support Wall responding to posts, you'll quickly notice that many people seek support daily by opening new topics.
To address the increasing number of requests for help and to support those dedicating their time to assist forum users, we established online groups of peer support volunteers, known as “Support Wall Action Teams,” in 2021.
By the first half of 2024, the success of Heartsupport’s social media content led to a significant increase in people opening up about their mental health. As a result, the Support Wall now receives over 300 support requests each month! The need for teams of volunteers is greater than ever. THANK YOU for taking part in this project!
How we help others:
Emotion Focus vs. Action Focus
Put simply, a Coach focuses on teaching someone the right actions to take to make improvements. Team repliers focus on helping someone through the emotions that keep them from those improvements.
Let’s illustrate by imagining how each role helps someone build a puzzle:
✅ Team Repliers
“Are you overwhelmed about this? Let's talk about that.”
“I’ve felt the same way. When I do puzzles, I start by doing the edges. It’s less overwhelming.”
“I know this might feel scary, but you're not doing it alone anymore. I'm rooting you on.”
“Plus, while you might feel like you can’t do this, you've done stuff like this before.”
“Got it from here?”
❌ Coaches
“What’s your goal with this puzzle?
How quickly do you want to accomplish it?”
“Great. Here are the ten steps to crushing this puzzle.
Do it in this order.”
“I'll check in with you at step 3 to make sure you've got proper technique.”
“I’ll cheer you on when you get to step 6 because that one’s the hardest.”
“Got the plan?”
Our support culture
Our goal is not to get people to finish the puzzle. It’s to get them to a mental space where they know they can do it themselves, where they can feel “I’ve got it from here”, by using active listening as our core practice.
As a volunteer Replier, you will encourage others in increasing their sense of self-efficacy — their belief in their ability to successfully deal with their mental health and life obstacles.