Miffy's Fighting for Youth Mental Health

Our tamariki and rangatahi are struggling. New Zealand has one of the highest youth suicide rates in the OECD. Suicidal distress is the result of great suffering and pain, and often experiences of trauma. Everyone who experiences suicidal distress has a story to tell.

Youthline is often a place where young people feel safe to express their feelings and thoughts, and where they come to seek help. 2 in 5 txt messaged received to the service in 2021 were related to suicide, anxiety, self-harm or depression.

In 2006 I was a 12year old who, shaking, crying and feeling alone, dialled 0800 376 633 desperately in search of a connection in the overwhelming and terrifying situation I was going through. Coping on my own was becoming scary, and I had long been thinking about ending my own life (for 3years before I finally called). Youthline is a community of people who are always ready to be there for our young people, to give them care and understanding no matter what it is they are going through, as long as they have the resources to make them able to.

I am fighting to help Youthline, so they can continue to provide accessible high quality counselling support to young people all across New Zealand every day. Young people who are just like I was - unable to identify a safe and trusted adults in their own lives.