Youthline Wellington is turning 50 this year. However, its birthday celebrations have been put on hold due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

Instead, the charity plans on celebrating its 50th birthday in the new year. Friends past and present, along with current volunteers and staff, are all set to be invited.

Over 50 years Youthline has grown beyond its traditional helpline by introducing text, webchat and email counselling services. Youthline Wellington also provides youth development opportunities through its Youth Development Programme, Mental Health Peer Support Programme and educational visits to schools and communities in the greater Wellington Region.

Through its Ongoing Education Programme, Youthline Wellington is committed to providing support to volunteers and the wider community, along with one-off workshops.

Youthline Wellington Communications Coordinator, Christopher Dean says challenges for young people have evolved over the organisation’s history.

“Social media and the pandemic have created complex challenges for young people,” Christopher says. “But our approach continues to support and empower the rights of young people to make their own decisions”

The Wellington based organisation was established in 1971, renamed from the “drop in” youth counselling service Teen-Aid. The Wellington branch was one of the first regional centres using the Youthline brand, founded in Auckland a year earlier by Father Felix Donnelly. The organisation has aimed to provide support services for rangatahi (young people) over its fifty-year history.

Youthline Wellington can be supported by donating to their Givealittle at https://givealittle.co.nz/org/ylwgtn.

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