Contact YouthLine
Have a question about YouthLine or our Peer Support HelpLine? Please See our FAQ
General Inquiries
If your questions aren't answered by the FAQ, feel free to contact our staff by phone or email.
Note: this is NOT the contact info for the Peer Support HelpLine. To chat or text with a volunteer, please use the number and chat button at the top of the page.
- 416-962-2232
- P.O. Box 73118, Wood Street PO
- Toronto, ON, M4Y 2W5
Specific Inquiries
Peer Support
Donations, Fundraising & Outreach
416-962-2232
Outreach Engagement Requests
Fill the Form if You Are
- seeking a YouthLine outreach table at your school or Pride event;
- seeking a presentation about our how our HelpLine works and its impact;
- seeking an educational presentation/workshop about 2SLGBTQ+ communities, gender and/or sexual identities, and/or available resources;
- recruiting for a speakers panel on 2SLGBTQ+ youth issues or a related topic
Email Us if You
- have a time-sensitive request (less than 1 week's notice);
- are a member of the media seeking an interview;
- a student doing research on YouthLine for an assignment (please read our FAQ page first; or
- have a general interest in collaboration and partnership!
Please provide as much notice as possible, especially for in-person engagements. We have a small outreach
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you a service provider who wants to support your 2SLGBTQ+ clients? Are you a student doing an environmental assessment or other project on 2SLGBTQ+ organizations? Read on! We hope that this FAQ will provide you with a comprehensive introduction to YouthLine.
Not sure if you're on the right page?
If you are a service provider and you want to order service cards and outreach posters, you can do so here. If you want YouthLine to do a presentation for your organization or service users about our work: email info@youthline.ca If you're a media industry employee looking for an interview or statement: email info@youthline.ca
Where can I read about your mission, vision, and values?
You can read about our mission, vision, and values here.
When was YouthLine created?
1994!
You can read up on YouthLine's history on our History page and at this digital exhibition by The ArQuives.
Who do you help?
Youth in Ontario, aged 29 and under. There are many definitions of youth in the non-profit/NFP sector, but in recent years we have seen many organizations expand their definition of youth from 'age 26 and under to age 29 and under,' in order to acknowledge that young adults of many ages share certain needs and can benefit from youth-oriented programs and services.
How does the Peer Support HelpLine work?
We train 2SLGBTQ+ youth to support other 2SLGBTQ+ youth via chat, text, and phonecall. Volunteer recruitment happens once a year.
Youth connect with us about a range of issues and with a variety of questions. The benefit of anonymous peer support (distinct from professional counselling/therapy) is that youth can connect with similar-age people who share a community and (sometimes) lived experiences. This can make it easier for youth to ask questions, talk about problems, and feel heard in their struggles.
Since we are not a counselling service, our volunteers do not require extensive schooling/professional training, and cannot offer advice to youth who chat/text/call in. Our volunteers are not trained to respond to crisis situations, which is when a youth is in immediate danger of being harmed, harming themself, or harming another person.
When a youth connects with us and is clearly in a crisis situation, we refer them to other organizations, such as local distress centres, KidsHelpPhone, and Trans Lifeline.
Are you an anonymous service?
Yes, we operate completely anonymously.
We do not ask youth to tell us their name or address, and we do not ask our volunteers to disclose (share) personal information about themselves when they are chatting/texting/calling with youth. However, sometimes a situation will happen where a youth will share that they are in danger/being harmed or abused, as well as some kind of identifying information (such as their name and school).
If they are age 15 or under, our volunteers have the Duty to Report to a Children's Aid Society (child protective services).
How many youth do you support each year?
You can find those statistics (and much more) in our Annual Reports.
Do you run any other services besides the Peer Support HelpLine?
Not currently (July 2024). In the past year, we ran two programs called the Provincial Youth Ambassadors Program and YouthOrganize. We occasionally publish reports, zines, and other cool stuff, which can be found on our Online Resources page.
How do I become a volunteer?
We recruit volunteers for the Peer Support HelpLine once a year. You can find volunteer opportunities here.
Are you accepting students for placements?
If you're interested in a student placement with YouthLine please email info@youthline.ca.
Additionally, we do hire summer interns through the Canada Summer Jobs program. The best way to stay updated is to follow our Instagram.