05/14/2025
This man will listen to you talk about anything, and he won't charge a dime
Retired N.S. social worker is on a cross-Canada listening tour with two chairs and a sign
Paul Jenkinson is just a man with some free time, two chairs, a folding table and a sandwich board that reads: "You are not alone. I will listen
He worked for years as a registered social worker, served on the board of the B.C. Association of Social Workers and worked as a spokesperson for Advocates for Care of the Elderly, which works to create better conditions in long-term care facilities.
He's also 70 years old, with many decades of life experiences to draw on, including physical pain, divorce, and the sudden death of his daughter a few years ago — "those kinds of, like, Earth-shattering events."
"So I bring that to the exchange," he said. "But, really, people are the experts in their own situation. They really just need some space to talk."
Once people start chatting, Jenkinson says they talk about anything and everything.
He says he's spoken with people at different points in their life journeys. Some are students. Some are recovering from addictions. Many find themselves at a crossroads.
The other day, he says he spoke to a series of people who wanted to tell him about all about the ways they give back to their communities.
"Volunteers from prisons, from shelters, from family agencies. It was like a cornucopia of beautiful people," he said. "The stories can be positive as well as, you know, the life challenges. So I'm thankful for that."
Jenkinson promises to keep everything confidential, unless the person is going to harm themselves or someone else.
"You don't have to worry," he said. "You're not gonna see me on the street the next day."
Source: CBC News
