Resources Around Me: Kids Help Phone's latest tool for young people

TORONTO, Feb. 20, 2014 /CNW/ - Every day, Kids Help Phone's professional counsellors help young people in communities across Canada connect with local supports including counselling and mental health services, shelters, legal and housing services, LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and questioning) services and food banks.

This winter, Kids Help Phone is putting those resources directly into the hands of young people with Resources Around Me, the latest tool from Canada's only 24/7 professional counselling service for youth.

Kids Help Phone has developed and maintains the largest Community Resource Database for children, youth and young adults in Canada; it holds over 46,000 programs serving more than 17,500 communities. During a phone call or online contact, professional counsellors use this database to refer young people to local supports in their community.

Resources Around Me now makes a portion of those resources available at kidshelpphone.ca and through Kids Help Phone's free mobile app, Always There.

"Kids Help Phone is committed to being there for young people when and how they need it most," says Sharon Wood, President & CEO, Kids Help Phone, "and we are continuously looking for ways to adapt our services to stay relevant to youth. We know Kids Help Phone is a trusted resource for young people across Canada, and Resources Around Me now gives them one more way to get the help and hope they need."

"Resources Around Me will enable Kids Help Phone to improve the lives of countless youth across Canada," says Eric Windeler, Founder & Executive Director, The Jack Project. "We are delighted this valuable tool is now available to young people empowering them with knowledge and essential resources located in their very own communities."

Developed in collaboration with youth, Resources Around Me is an intuitive, map-based tool that young people can use to easily search for and locate trusted resources that offer direct service, all through a click of the mouse or the touch of a button.

Launching with 11,000 listings in nine categories, Resources Around Me gives young people anywhere in Canada easier access to the support they need. Listings and categories will be added throughout 2014 and beyond, as funding allows.

Resources Around Me was made possible thanks to funding from The Jack Project, the Ontario Ministry of Education, Staples Canada, a generous anonymous donor, and lead donor Bell Canada.

Find Resources Around Me online at kidshelpphone.ca/ResourcesAroundMe

About Kids Help Phone:

Kids Help Phone is a Canadian and world leader, known for its expertise in providing vital, innovative, and professional counselling services to children and youth. Since 1989 Kids Help Phone has offered children, teens and young adults in Canada a critical lifeline of hope and support, through its free, anonymous and confidential service. Kids Help Phone's professional counsellors support the mental health and well-being of young people ages five to 20, in urban, rural, and remote communities, by providing one-on-one counselling, information and resources online and by phone. The organization's internationally recognized, award-winning websites are considered a model of child-focused interactive design, and offer online counselling forums and engaging, therapeutic games, tools and information to encourage resilience and self-care. A community-based national charity, Kids Help Phone receives no guaranteed ongoing financial support from government or any large funder and relies on community and corporate support to keep our essential service available. We're there for the *6.5 million young people in Canada, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in English and in French.

*Source: represents the age group Kids Help Phone serves (from five to 20) according to Statistics Canada, 2012.

For further information:

kidshelpphone.ca
kidshelpphone.ca/facebook
kidshelpphone.ca/twitter
kidshelpphone.ca/youtube
kidshelpphone.ca/pinterest

SOURCE: Kids Help Phone

For interview inquiries, please contact:

Elizabeth-Alice Worth 
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416-581-8955