The Youthline reports that the age of those asking for support continues to drop, with one in every ten callers now under 12 years old.
Youth Council Coordinator Te Aorangi-Kowhai Morini says it is heartbreaking to see children as young as seven coming seeking support, calling the dropping age of callers a major concern.
Expanding on the pressures young people face, Morini adds: “Kua roa nei e pēnei ana, e āta heke ana i ia tau e heke ana te pakeke. E pouri tonu ana te kite, ko tōna whitu tau te tamaiti e haere mai ana, e kōrero mai ana ki a mātou, he tino mōrearea tērā.”
According to the Youthline ASB State of the Generation report, bullying and phone addiction are driving factors. Morini adds that many young people hesitate to seek help from their parents out of fear that their struggles will place an unfair emotional burden on the whānau, noting, “kei reira tērā āmaimai ka tau tērā taumahatanga ki runga i te whānau.”
Furthermore, Youthline reports that many young people are reaching out for crisis help between midnight and 3:00 am, with text messaging serving as a vital lifeline because, as Morini says, “often it’s the safest way they can get a hold of us.”
To help meet this demand, the government announced a $10 million telehealth funding boost in July, enabling an estimated 16,000 additional calls. Youthline specifically received funding to expand its support capacity by 44 percent, allowing the organisation to respond to roughly 4,400 more contacts from vulnerable youth.
The Weight Young People Carry Today
According to I Am Hope founder Mike King, the data reveals just how early complex struggles are taking root in children’s lives.
Gumboot Friday figures show the service has supported 4,126 Māori young people, accounting for 12.8% of its total users. Among a wide range of reasons for seeking help, the data reveals that 2,026 rangatahi are dealing with anxiety, 1,290 with trauma, 1,128 with stress, and 1,067 with depression.
I Am Hope Clinical Lead Dr Madeleine Haerewa highlights the core benefit of Gumboot Friday’s model, noting that it provides “rapid access to counsellors, people they get to choose who they feel comfortable with.”
Key Data at a Glance
- 1 in 10 Youthline callers are under 12 years old
- Peak Support Hours: Midnight to 3:00 am via text messaging
- Gumboot Friday Impact: 4,126 Māori youth supported (12.8% of total users)
Looking ahead, she states that expanding into a more mātauranga Māori approach, or incorporating rongoā Māori services, will be vital to better match cultural needs, adding that it would “be really great to be able to expand that to have a more mātauranga Māori approach or have rongoā Māori services available and to meet that cultural fit.”
Rallying Support: Walk the Talk
To combat ongoing demand, Youthline has launched the third year of Walk the Talk, a 30-day fundraising challenge running throughout September. The initiative builds on last year’s campaign, which raised $117,000 to keep the free 24/7 helpline running.
Organisers highlight that every sign-up makes a tangible difference, adding that whether participants walk, run, swim, paddle, or simply get moving every day throughout September, every dollar raised goes directly towards keeping Youthline’s 24/7 Helpline available.
Where to get help:
- Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357
- Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends
- Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202
- Samaritans: 0800 726 666
- Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz
- What’s Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds
- Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, and English.
- Victim Support 0800 842 846.
- Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254
- Healthline: 0800 611 116
- Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
- OUTLine: 0800 688 5463
- Aoake te Rā bereaved by suicide service: or call 0800 000 053
- I Am Hope Free call or text 1737anytime to talk with a trained counsellor 24/7.
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
