Advocacy group petitions for assistance with the safeguarding of minors and young adults on youth-centric telephones.
In Bergisch Gladbach, the Children and Youth Telephone (KJT) is seeking additional volunteer advisors to address the rising demand for support. The service, known as "Number against Sorrow" (116 111), handled over 6,000 calls last year, but the current team of 20 advisors may not be enough to meet the increasing need for advice.
The KJT, launched in 1980 by the German Children's Fund, is the largest free and anonymous telephone counseling offer for young people in Germany. The advisors take calls about a wide range of topics, including bullying, loneliness, relationship problems, and experiences of violence. Psychological problems are the main concern for 60% of those seeking advice.
The service is available from Monday to Saturday, from 2 to 8 PM. The training for new volunteer advisors starts in mid-November and lasts until the end of March 2026. Interested parties should have joy and experience in dealing with children and young people, empathy, patience, and communication skills. Registration for the training event is by email by August 30th.
Dieter Rosenbaum, responsible for the KJT for three years in the board of the German Children's Fund Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis, emphasizes the urgent need for reinforcement. "We are experiencing a significant increase in demand," he says. "Our advisors are often the first confidential point of contact for young people dealing with a wide range of issues."
The German Children's Fund also offers online counseling in addition to telephone counseling. The children and youth telephone in Bergisch Gladbach was started 30 years ago by three women from their home.
An information event for interested parties will be held on September 29th, at 6 PM in the rooms of the Kinderschutzbund, Bensberger Str. 133 (Heidkamp). For up-to-date details regarding information events, applications, or how to get involved, reaching out directly to the organization via their official channels is recommended.
- The KJT, a service dedicated to health-and-wellness of children and youth, is seeking additional volunteer advisors specializing in mental-health topics due to the increasing demand for advice.
- The expansion of the training program for new advisors, starting in mid-November and lasting until March 2026, highlights the importance of education-and-self-development in meeting the current needs of young people.
- As science and fitness-and-exercise play crucial roles in overall wellbeing, it is essential to support organizations like the KJT, which provides free and anonymous counseling, enabling young people to thrive in various aspects of their lives.
