Kids Help Phone: Supporting Futures

I have talked a bit lately on successful awareness strategies, and motivation of a target audience via mass messaging. With the upcoming Walk for Kids Help Phone I wanted to showcase a non-profit that has put all these practices to work for over 20 years as a national help line for Canadian kids.

Let’s head back to May 16th 1989, its noon and the phone lines just opened for the first time offering professional counseling for whatever kids wanted to talk about. Kids Help Phone didn't waste any time with Much Music airing a service announcement about their organization. Using the media giant Much Music which already maintained viewership from hundreds of thousands of kids took KHP from an unknown into a popular choice for support among kids.

In 1996 Kids Help Phone embraced the future as they launched Kidshelpphone.ca spreading their willingness to help to the online generation. In this year they also launched the Student Ambassador Program during International Youth Week, to date this program has trained over 9,000 students and continues to grow.

Within only a few years into the new millennium it was realized that to support such a vast country chapters needed to be established. These Chapters aid in awareness for KHP, seek out philanthropic donors, and organize events to both educate and fund raise. The use of chapters was so successful that the organization now has over 50! In 2002 Kidshelphone.ca launched online counseling, with the realization that it can sometimes be hard or not convenient for children to speak over the phone Kids Help Phone opened the web to allow kids to post their issues and receive detailed feedback from a counselor just like on the phone. 2002 was also the first annual Walk for Kids Help Phone held in 20 communities across Canada. The walk is now the largest fundraising event of the year serving smiles and countless hotdogs, this event brings out thousands of supports to walk so kids can talk.

Moving closer to the present the efforts behind Kids Help Phone are still working at 110%. Three years ago KHP announced the Futures Campaign, a new vision focused on updating the way Kids Help Phone reached kids. Last month we saw the new Kids Help Phone site launch, a modern sleek location modified now with both kids & teen areas to better support the different ages that access the site. Also increased was the content library a vast collection of articles and information on things from bullying, mental health, and body development.

With the explosion of social media like Facebook and Twitter it was realized to support the modern child connections would have to be made in these communities. Within the past 6 months they created a positive, informative trend on Twitter and are about to pass 1000 fans on Facebook.

Through responsible corporate sponsors, thousands of volunteers, and dedicated counselors millions of questions would go un-answered without Kids Help Phone. This fantastic group stands behind their slogan “Whatever the problem talk to us.” With the launch of the Futures Campaign it is clear Kids Help Phone will be here 24/7/365 for years to come and fully capable of helping children with any issue.

Links:

Kids Help Phone Organization
Walk for Kids Help Phone site