At YouthLine, all our volunteers are trained peer supporters ages 16-29 with a diversity of 2SLGBTQ+ identities and lived experiences. We serve all of Ontario, but we operate from a central service room in the Toronto area, taking calls and chats from 4pm-9:30pm EST every day except Saturday.
We’re not counsellors, we’re peers who can relate, and we have been trained in active listening and relevant knowledge such as anti-oppression, anti-racism, sex and consent, STIs, HIV, self-care, and more. Some common things people call, text, or chat us to talk about include:
YouthLine volunteers can discuss mental health and chat if you are feeling distressed, but we cannot offer support to you if you are in immediate crisis, as we are not formally trained in crisis support. If you feel you are in crisis, find the contact info of your local distress center here (http://www.dcontario.org/centres.html) or contact Kid’s Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868. If you’re trans you can also contact Trans Lifeline at 1-877-330-6366.
All our services are confidential and anonymous – we only know what you share with us. Our number will not show up on your phone bill. To learn more about our procedures and how to prevent our site from showing up in your computer’s history, click here.
Our Service is open from 4:00-9:30 PM Sunday-Friday.
Call Us Toll-Free: 1.800.268.9688 / In the Toronto Area: 416.962.9688
Text Us: 647.694.4275
E-mail: askus@youthline.ca
Chat Online: Click the Chat button at the bottom/top of the page