Barnardos 0800 What's Up

Thursday, 9th May 2024 at 8:34am

Green Bay High School's stationery supplier, OfficeMax, are proud to be the official supporter of Barnardos 0800 What's Up, a helpline for children and teenagers. This service enables tamariki and rangatahi to either call or chat online with a trained children's counsellor and is available 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

From Monday 13th to Friday 17th May a counselling service will also be available from 9am to 11am for parents/caregivers to access advice and support for help with children's challenging situations.

Putting children and teenagers first is central to the 0800 What's Up counselling practice. Counsellors help callers to find their own solutions and build their problem-solving skills for the future. Issues raised can cover anything from mental health to family relationships, dating, and bullying. However, 0800 What's Up is a safe space for kids to talk about anything. Tamariki and rangatahi can also ask to speak with a counsellor they can positively relate to (for example a person of a specific gender or ethnicity) and can ask to have ongoing counselling with the same counsellor if it helps them build trust.

In times of real, urgent need, 0800 What's Up is a life-saving service. When callers are in imminent danger, counsellors will involve police/emergency or social services and stay on the line during this time to ensure the child or young person is safe.