0800 What’s Up celebrates International Child Helpline Day

0800 What’s Up celebrates International Child Helpline Day

17 May is International Child Helpline Day when child helplines around the world celebrate their work and achievements.

“0800 What’s Up couldn’t be more pleased with the theme for this year” says Manager Rhonda Morrison, “The Right to be heard.” It is a really fitting with the services new theme song, “We’ll be Around” as the message communicates that when you think nobody is there to listen, 0800 What’s Up is there to answer your call.

International Child Helpline Day is the global occasion for child helplines to call attention to their work in protecting and empowering children and young people. International Child Helpline Day started in 2007 and will be celebrated in 2014 across the globe for the eighth consecutive year.

0800 What’s Up is part of a global network of child helplines – Child Helpline International (CHI). This network includes 178 member child helplines in 143 countries worldwide, all gaining strength and support from one another.

‘Across the world on 17 May we celebrate the remarkable achievements and dedication of our child helpline members’. Said Nenita La Rose, Executive Director of CHI. ‘Our members receive many calls every year related to abuse, violence, mental health and family relationships. Call rates are also increasing by an average 5% a year, meaning that helpline demand doubles every 15 years. By continuing to listen to children and young people in this fast changing world, we hope to empower them with information, support and care into the future.’

Since CHI was founded in 2003, child helplines from around the world have received more than 126 million contacts.

Each year 0800 What’s Up receives over 200,000 calls, and last year helped over 100,000 children and young people from throughout New Zealand. Since opening in 2001, the 0800 What’s Up Counsellors have answered nearly 1.5 million calls from child and young people who are needing someone to talk to.

0800 What’s Up Manager, Rhonda Morrison says “We want to make sure every young person has the opportunity to get help if they need it. We believe young people having the ability to access confidential and free support is vital.”

“Growing up is such a crucial time in a person’s life and can be very challenging” says Rhonda. 0800 What’s up want 5-18 year olds to know that they are there and are happy to listen, whether you need help or just want to chat.

The new 0800 What’s Up theme song, “We’ll be around,” written by ambassador Maude Morris can be viewed on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6nFCB8A1Ug&feature=youtu.be and downloaded for free from sound cloud https://soundcloud.com/maudeminnie/well-be-around

About 0800 What's Up, a service of Barnardos NZ

0800 What's Up is a free, national phone counselling service for five to 18 year olds run by Barnardos New Zealand. It’s open 365 days a year from 1pm-11pm, and in an average year answers more than 100,000 calls – it’s the most accessed professional telephone counselling service for children and young people in New Zealand. More than 95% of the helpline’s funding comes through the generosity of New Zealanders who want to make a difference to children’s lives. To support 0800 What’s Up, visit www.whatsup.co.nz/grown-ups

© Scoop Media