Every night from Thursday to Sunday, a small, dedicated group of young people meets in a secret location in TCD. They are a group of UCD and Trinity students whose activities are so secret that they don't even tell their friends where they go.

The funny thing is, most students in Dublin will know who they are, because their student-run Niteline service advertises the group's existence on every available billboard and toilet wall they can find. Niteline was founded six years ago by the welfare officers of the two students' unions in order to provide a "confidential, anonymous non-directive and non-judgmental listening service" for students of both the colleges as well as others. "We meet in Trinity because it is easier to explain to people if they meet you in here rather than having people ask why you are always out at Belfield," says John, one of the senior members of the group, as he takes me to meet some of the others. Before meeting them my preconceptions were of a rather staid group, with perhaps nowhere else to go. Instead, I sit facing the most typical cross-section of students imaginable, the pierced nose and the Ralph Lauren shirt in happy co-existence. Bearing in mind all the secrecy, and the youth around me, the image of Buffy the Vampire Slayer manning the phones leaps to mind, but only for a second - this is, after all, a serious business.

Although cagey about revealing numbers of calls received or numbers of people working of a night ("let's just say no call goes unanswered"), the group is able to give some idea of what problems people ring in with.

Bereavement, harassment, sexually transmitted diseases, depression, stress, suicide, abuse, pregnancy, loneliness, eating disorders and addictions are some of the issues dealt with by the line. The service also has reams of information both about other agencies and about the two colleges and can help with exams advice or even lost locker keys.

When dealing with the ups and downs of people's lives, anonymity is vital if frank questions are to be asked and frank advice given. This is obviously true of callers, but it is equally true for those working on the service.

"If you had a problem, would you ring if you knew me and knew I worked on the service?" asks Claire, one of the group's co-ordinators. "As well as that there would be the odd crank caller who would ring in and you wouldn't want to encourage them," chips in another volunteer.

"Another benefit of the secrecy is that, as the service is anonymous, people don't have a preconception about who they are calling. More importantly, they won't think we have a particular mindset because they won't be judging the service based on those who they might know in it."

"It can actually be quite funny. coming home on the last Nitelink bus on a Saturday, sober as a judge," says Simone. "I've met people the next day who took the piss out of me for being `soooooo drunk' - when, needless to say, I hadn't even looked at a a drink all night."

The secrecy is an annoyance, however. "It can get a bit difficult explaining to your friends why you can't be around at weekends."

On top of that annoyance is the fact that there are some serious hours involved. Before they start, volunteers go through a four-month training and selection process based on the Samaritans and run in conjunction with the colleges' counselling services. After that comes a further two weekends with the group before they can pick up a phone in sympathy.

Once qualified, volunteers work at least 10 hours a fortnight, one night answering calls and another in support work where they discuss general issues with counsellors from both colleges. They also do general administration, such as putting up posters.

Although everyone is adamant they still have time to do other things, Niteline represents a big commitment. What is the attraction?

"I'd seen posters for it in first year," say one. (Freshers cannot apply, to ensure that volunteers have at least one year of college under their belt.) "It sounds corny, but it's worthwhile and rewarding, far better than just being another society hack."

"You have a great time in college and it is good to give something back," says another.

Simone says: "I used to be a person that people felt they could turn to, but college is less intimate and this was a way I could still help."

Enough such reasons are given to silence any critic of today's apathetic, self-centred student. John sums it up: "It feels funny saying `I'm a nice person and I want to help people', but that is what it boils down to."

And this is one case where virtue really is its own reward. While their contemporaries are filling up their CVs with all the teams, clubs and societies they are on, Niteline volunteers will be left with something of a black hole - they have all committed themselves not to mention their work, even after college.

"You aren't in this for your own benefit," John says. "If you are, you won't enjoy it and if you follow that to its logical conclusion, you won't tell anyone about it."

Names used in this article are not real.

Niteline runs during termtime in both UCD and TCD from 9 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. Thursday to Sunday.

Students interested in Joining Niteline can apply through the welfare office of TCD students' union until the end of this week.

The number for Niteline is 1-800 793 793 - it's a free call and doesn't show up on bills.