Q: Some of our Conference members give their personal phone numbers by not blocking their numbers when making calls. As a result, our friends in need call them for advice, etc. The Conference members do not always report the calls received or the advice given. Our guidelines say that our friends in need should not have our personal phone numbers.
A: The National Council does not encourage nor endorse the practice of members giving out their personal phone number. Phone numbers can be abused, and those whom we serve should only call a designated SVdP contact number for assistance.
Q: Also, we decided that messages could not be left on the SVdP phone. We can only be reached on Mondays 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM. Is this practice, okay? What, if any, are the ramifications of this practice? What do you think of this practice?
A: The consequence of the practice you indicate is that our friends in need have nowhere to turn if the Conference can only be reached at the hours indicated. The recommendation is to have a separate phone line where messages can be left and checked more frequently by members in order to serve our friends in need.
