Preparations For Youthline Service

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32351, 17 July 1970, Page 5

Preparations For Youthline Service

Training young people to run the new Youthline telephone service in Christchurch will begin in September and it is expected that the service will be open in February next year.

Youthline, which will be an inter-denominational confidential telephone service by youth, for youth, is planned to meet situations such as potential suicide, parentalyouth problems, job and study crises and personal relationships generally. It is an extension of the work of Life-Line and will be subject to the Life-Line code.

Recruiting young people between the ages of 18 and 25 years to run the service has begun and the response so far has been good, a member of the executive committee (the Rev. B. Mackie) said on Wednesday. Screening of applicants will be necessary to find young people who are suitable for the telephone team, but it is hoped to select at least 70 young people who, after training, will give four hours a month to the service.

Applicants may be of any denomination; the only requirement is that they have some Christian background. The selection panel will not be looking for psychoanalysts, rather people who care; and the Youthline service will on offering concern before advice.

Preliminary training will consist of a week-end course and a course of six weeks, under the direction of the Rev. A. Mitchell, director of the Campbell Centre for Counselling, run by the Christchurch Presbyterian Social Service Association.

At first it was planned to have the service available for about 12 hours a day but this could be extended if the need arose. Other possible developments such as the formation of a Youthline trouble team would also be investigated. A Youthline service will begin in Auckland on Saturday.