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Teen
Line online
"Teens Helping Teens"
(800) TLC-TEEN (in California)
(310) 855-HOPE (call collect)
Hours to call:
6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. PST
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LA Community
Policing continues its search for helpful websites and organizations
that serve the community to improve public safety and the quality
of life. Among our most important efforts will be those that reach
our youth.
We're proud to present Teen Line®, where the aim is to have
"Teens
Helping Teens"
in a professionally supervised adult environment.
Teen Line is affiliated with Cedars-Sinai
Medical Center, and reaches thousands of teenagers each year.
They have multiple programs including one-on-one, teen-to-teen telephone
contact, email answers to questions, an exceptional resource guide
called the "Youth Yellow Pages" (see links below) and
outreach efforts customized for 6th to 8th
grades, and 9th through 12th grades.
Here's what Teen Line says about why it's effective, and how it
works:
The Problems and Concerns
Abuse, AIDS, alcoholism, depression,
divorce, drugs, gangs, homelessness, questions about sexuality,
pregnancy, violence and worse yet, suicide.
The Solution
Many teenagers have no place to go for help. Intimidated by parents
and adult authority, and embarrassed by their problems, they struggle
alone with their demons. Often they get it wrong, sometimes tragically.
Teen Line was established in 1981 to help them "get it right". For
more than 10,000 troubled teenagers each year, Teen Line has been
the place to call to talk about problems. Teen Line does not offer
therapy or advice or ongoing relationships. It does provide a caring
relationship within which to consider the next step. It offers HOPE.
The Reason
Teen Line staff carefully screen and select approximately 80 teenagers
a year for hotline and outreach training. Listeners commit to work
at least one weekly 4-hour shift, to attend monthly supervision
and in-service training sessions, and to participate in two outreach
presentations each school semester.
Teen Line listeners complete a thirteen week, sixty-hour training
program emphasizing specialized listening and communication techniques.
Topics discussed include crisis intervention, family life, cultural
diversity, values clarification, sexuality, addictions, abuse, self-destructive
and life threatening behaviors.
Teen Line's trained listeners help callers clarify their concerns,
define and discuss the options available, and make referrals to
community resources, if needed. They staff the lines every evening
from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. PST under the close supervision of
professional counselors. Weekends the line opens at 1:00 p.m., PST.
LACP highly recommends
the following outstanding resource, the Youth Yellow Pages, which
is also available in an inexpensive, pocket sized, printed format:
Enter the Youth Yellow Pages links below
for help and information on almost any topic.
Includes articles, videos, links and referrals.
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Resource Associates
Twenty-five mental health professionals volunteer to provide on-site
supervision, consultation and support to the teen listeners. Each
evening, their presence compliments the teen-to-teen experience,
and is representative of Teen Line's® commitment to professionalism.
Boards
Board of Directors, Community Council, and the Professional Advisory
Board each provide ongoing expertise and support. Board members
participate in fundraising activities. One alum is actively involved
on our Board of Directors.
Outreach Services
Teen Line has been providing outreach services to the California
community for more than 18 years. Teen Line visits over 20 LAUSD
schools annually through an agreement with the district.
Outreach services are designed and customized for: 6th to 8th grades,
9th through 12th grades, teenagers, religious groups, youth groups,
adults, mental health services, peer helpers and law enforcement
agencies. In most cases, outreach services are free of charge. Some
presentations may require a donation.
All Teen Line presentations are presented by a Staff Mental Health
Professional, one or more Teen Line listeners (teenager), information
video and provide Teen Line materials and handouts. All presentations
involve audience participation, unless otherwise requested. Teen
Line also provides materials available to participants of heath
fairs and conferences.
Presentations offered include a general Teen Line outreach describing
our most common calls, volunteering, listening skills and role plays
on how to take a call. Specialized workshops include: Suicide Prevention
(includes a 1/2 hour HBO video), Youth and Violence, Teen Line/Sheldon
Andelson Gay and Lesbian Outreach (GLO)*, Pregnancy and STD prevention
and Child Abuse.
* Teen
Line/Sheldon Andelson Gay and Lesbian Outreach (GLO) provides
presentations and workshops to educate the community on sensitive
issues of growing up gay, having a gay parent or sibling. How to
deal with teasing, harassment and homophobia explored.
If you would like a Teen Line presentation at your school or group,
please contact:
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Ossie Mair
(310) 423-3401 phone
orteenline@aol.com email
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Volunteer
Want to become a Teen Listener? Call Teen Line at 1-800-TLC-TEEN
or 1-310-855-HOPE between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
any night of the week. Ask a Listener for information on Training
dates and qualifications. If you qualify, we will send you an application
for the next training program.
To qualify, you must live in Los Angeles and entering the 9,10,
or 11th grades. Volunteers are unpaid, although you may get community
service credit at school. We have a careful screening process that
includes the completion of a 5-page application, individual and
group interviews, plus a parent-teen orientation meeting. Call Teen
Line for dates and times of training. In addition to the Training
schedule, you will observe the line, attend monthly in-service staff
meetings with all of the staff - teens and adult volunteers. Invited
speakers from the community present specific topics relevant to
our calls.
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Teen
Line online
"Teens Helping Teens"
www.teenlineonline.org
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