Kids’ free counselling phoneline facing closure unless new sponsors found

18 March 2004

New Zealand’s only free, professional counselling phoneline for children may be forced to close unless new sponsors are found urgently.

0800 WHATS UP (0800 9428 787) is run by the Kids Help Foundation Trust and answers an average of 313 calls every day from Kiwi kids aged 5 to 18.

Staffed by 18 paid, professionally trained and supervised counsellors, its confidential phone lines are open noon to midnight, seven days a week.

The service costs more than $850,000 a year to run but recently lost two of its four major corporate sponsors.

"On top of that, stop-gap funding from a similar organisation in Australia is not available to us on an ongoing basis,” the Trust’s executive director Grant Taylor said.

"We urgently need to find some new corporate sponsors and, if we can’t, What’s Up may have to close.

"That would be a great shame for New Zealand children as the number of calls we receive every day clearly shows just how important this service is. It is definitely fulfilling a need, giving young people a place to turn for help.”

Mr Taylor said the Trust’s immediate financial need was $500,000 and, while it had applied to various agencies for emergency funding, it really required further long-term corporate support.

"We’re very grateful to our remaining two founding sponsors – Griffin’s and Kellogg’s – for their steadfast support and commitment. What we need to do is find two more benefactors like them to ensure that this vital service can continue.”

Mr Taylor said the Trust was also starting a Champions’ Club to recognise individuals who donated $1,000.

New Zealand research shows that 25% of young New Zealanders will have experienced a mental health problem by the age of 15 years and that problems in mid-childhood are predictive of serious emotional and behavioural disorders in adolescence.

"Our children need sources of support and guidance that are acceptable and accessible to them. What’s Up gives children a confidential and safe opportunity to learn how to solve their problems and access appropriate support, stopping matters from getting too serious.

"This phoneline makes a real difference to many thousands of young lives and we have to find a way to keep it going,” Taylor said.

To become involved as a corporate sponsor or to make a donation to keep What’s Up open for as long as possible, contact the What’s Up office on TelstraClear tollfree 0508 YOUR CALL (0508 9687 2255) or email admin@whatsup.co.nz.