Reaching Out on the 'Digital Streets'

Website

: http://us.reachout.com

The Idea

Train more ReachOut peer leaders to answer questions from youth on websites like myYearbook.com. Answers provide information and support, often linking youth to crisis organizations and other resources.

The Specifics

Funding from GOOD would allow us to train more young people to help answer the hundreds of questions we receive each month. Training includes development of a manual, conference calls and ongoing supervision from ReachOut staff. Much like youth workers who do their outreach on real life streets where young people are hanging out, we feel it’s essential for us to have an active, youth led presence in digital hang outs. By allowing users to ask us questions anonymously and seeing others’ questions and supportive responses, we break down the stigma around seeking help and are creating an online culture of peer support. As one young person said, “I used this website and it helped me with suicide so w/out this website i would not be here now.”

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