Kids Helpline counsellors are an incredible group of people.
Give the gift that they most need, someone to listen.
Their passion and dedication to helping young people shines through every day as they listen, understand and reassure every young person who reaches out for support.
This Christmas, many of them will sacrifice time with their own loved ones to ensure young people have somewhere to turn when family conflict, anxiety, and loneliness become too much.
Will you please support these amazing counsellors with a donation to Kids Helpline this year? You will be helping to give the gift a young person may need most – someone to listen.
Last year, a young person reached out to Kids Helpline for support every 71 seconds. That’s 1,214 contacts every day.
Archie has worked Kids Helpline shifts on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day over the past two years. “Christmas is a time where a lot of people are celebrating coming together,” he says. “But there are thousands of young people who feel incredibly alone.”
“Kids Helpline is so important to me because I fundamentally believe that no young person should ever be alone.” – Archie, Kids Helpline Counsellor.
Archie knows firsthand how important Kids Helpline is for young people and is passionate about making sure everyone who reaches out for help feels heard and appreciated for who they are.
“As a young person, I often encountered many experiences of feeling like there was nobody to talk to when I had challenging thoughts or big emotions.
“I remember calling Kids Helpline on a particularly overwhelming day. Being listened to, having someone take time to understand what I was sharing, without judgement, and being reminded that I was not alone – it was a powerful encounter that changed my view on the world.”
When Chris’ younger sister Jane took her own life in 2016, their family was heartbroken.
“It’s something you read about in the newspaper, you see it on TV, but you don’t understand until you experience it,” he says.
“Jane’s passing took a huge toll on me physically and mentally, but the way it affected my Mum and Dad, Janet and Shane, was something else.”
Out of their tragedy, Chris, Janet, and Shane wanted to honour Jane’s legacy by raising funds to help other young people struggling with their mental health and suicidal thoughts.
Since 2017 they have hosted A Day for Jane, a golf day and gala that has raised over $110,000 to support Kids Helpline.
“Losing someone to suicide is heartbreaking and that’s why our event is so integral to spreading the awareness of mental health at the local level and supporting Kids Helpline in everything they do,” Chris says.
“Please do reach out for support because there is always someone there to listen no matter how big or small the problem." - Chris
In the past twelve months Kids Helpline counsellors provided 5,753 emergency responses to children and young people in urgent need of ambulance, police or child protection which is a 39% increase on the previous year.
The incredible dedication of counsellors like Archie is vital to making sure every young person can access Kids Helpline when they need support, no matter how big or small the issues they face may be.
Please donate this Christmas to provide the training, tools and support they need to give every young person who reaches out the gift they may need most – someone to listen.
