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Wellness support in additional languages

Are you a young person in Canada searching for wellness support? In addition to English and French, you can now connect with Kids Help Phone’s professional counsellors in over 100 languages including Plains Cree, Severn Ojibwe, Ukrainian, Russian, Pashto, Dari, Mandarin and Arabic by calling 1-800-668-6868.

Talking to someone about what you’re going through can be difficult, especially if you don’t use the same language. That’s why Kids Help Phone is providing our phone counselling in over 100 languages, with the help of trained interpreters. It’s all free, confidential and available 24/7 in Canada. No ID required.

Important note: We’re continuously working to evolve our service offerings in additional languages. The links and resources found throughout this page are currently available in English / French. You can use Google Translate to read this page in another language.

Can I use this service?

This service is available to all youth in Canada (regardless of legal status). This includes refugees, newcomers, temporary and permanent residents, and other young people across Canada. You don’t need ID to contact us. If you’re currently outside of Canada, you can use Child Helpline International’s website to find helplines across the world.

Is this service available to adults, too?

If you contact Kids Help Phone’s phone counselling service as an adult, we’ll help you get the support you need. We may refer you to support for adults through Wellness Together Canada, or help you search for supports that use the language you’re seeking.

Who will I be talking to?

Our counselling service in over 100 languages is delivered over the phone by professional counsellors with the help of trained interpreters including Plains Cree, Severn Ojibwe, Ukrainian, Russian, Pashto, Dari, Mandarin and Arabic.

The interpreters are selected at random from a group of hundreds of interpreters across Canada and the United States. They’re professionally trained to understand and translate what is said. We encourage you to pause regularly for the interpreter to translate your words and to help the counsellor understand clearly.

During a conversation, our counsellors can listen, ask questions and help you decide on an action plan. They can also refer you to other programs and services nearest your community (and in more languages, where available). Our counsellors are trained to use culturally responsive practices to support a diverse range of young people.

What can I call about?

You can contact Kids Help Phone for support with any issue on your mind, big or small. You can connect about things like anxiety, depression, isolation, relationships, bullying, abuse, school, jobs, grief, loss, racism, discrimination and more.

Kids Help Phone is here to support your wellness. While we don’t offer things like legal or medical advice, or in-person services, we may refer you to people who do, if you’d like. You’re welcome to call us more than once, if you need / want to. Each time you call, you’ll be interacting with a different counsellor.

How do I access wellness support in additional languages?

You can call Kids Help Phone in over 100 languages across Canada at any time. Are you interested in trying it out? Here’s how it works:

  1. Call Kids Help Phone’s toll-free number at 1-800-668-6868.
  2. If you are Indigenous, please press 3
  3. For support in additional languages including Arabic, Mandarin, Ukrainian, Russian, Pashto and Dari, please press 4
  4. Listen as a counsellor greets you in English
  5. Let the counsellor know which language you’d like to use
  6. Stay on the line as the counsellor places you on a brief hold while they connect with an interpreter
  7. Follow the prompts from the counsellor / interpreter to start the counselling session.

You may have to wait a little bit to speak to a counsellor. The amount of time can vary depending on how many people are calling us. You may find it helpful to use this time to think about what you want to talk about with the counsellor or to try some well-being activities. Try to keep in mind that a counsellor will always try to answer your call and support you as best they can.

How can I share information about this service with others?

You can share these promotional materials with your network, including images for social media!

Where can I find additional support?

You can visit Resources Around Me to find support programs and services for newcomers, Indigenous youth and others across Canada. When you browse your search results, you can filter by language and communities supported.

You can also check out (and share with your network!) tips, tools and stories for newcomer, Indigenous youth and others by browsing our website.

How does Kids Help Phone protect my privacy?

Kids Help Phone is committed to protecting your privacy. Your phone conversation with a counsellor is confidential and anonymous. This means that our counsellors will not share your information with anyone outside of Kids Help Phone, unless they’re worried about your safety, and you give them identifying information and permission to share it. We only store information that helps us understand and improve our service, but we’ll never reveal identifying information about you. To learn more, you can check out our phone service’s privacy policy, which includes information on duty to report.

Funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and our caring donors from coast to coast to coast

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