"thank you to the person i spoke to today. you really helped me and i appreciate it." Caller, 22, who phoned about feeling suicidal
Get Connected's history
Established in 1999
Get Connected was set up in 1999 by a partnership between the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and the British Transport Police, with support from Railway Children. Diana Lamplugh wanted to provide help to young people under 25 who had run away from home or been thrown out - young people especially vulnerable because they weren't likely to have much money on them, much knowledge of what help was available or anywhere safe to stay.
Get Connected's role was to put these young people in touch, for free, with whatever service they needed.
The principle has always been to empower the young person to make their own decision about the help they need - whether it's counselling, mediation or a bed for the night. We were the vital gateway for a young person on the street to access any help they might need.
We developed beyond the initial remit, to help any young person under 25. If a young person contacts us as soon as they're worried about something, we can help ensure they don't reach a situation where running away or being forced out of home is the only option.
Registered charity in 2000
We became an independent charity in 2000, with tiny offices above Kings Cross Station.
Support from The Carphone Warehouse from 2001
In 2001 we joined The Carphone Warehouse in a partnership that continues today. The Carphone Warehouse was looking for small, communications-based charity to which it could make a big difference, so Get Connected was ideal. We moved into office space provided by them in their Acton communications centre and were relocated to bigger premises in 2004, in an old Carphone Warehouse shop.
The Carphone Warehouse supplies us with office and helpline equipment and has been instrumental in ensuring we're free to call from all landlines and mobiles. Their employees also raise money for Get Connected.
Our partnership with The Carphone Warehouse won the Charity Times Corporate Partnership Award in 2003 and the Third Sector Excellence Award for Corporate Partnership in 2006.
Email service developed in 2003
Initially we were a telephone helpline, but we launched our email service in 2003, aiming to make ourselves more accessible to boys and young men, and also young people with speaking or hearing impairments.
The email service works on the same lines as the phone service, with Helpline Workers exploring the young person's situation, providing emotional support and explaining the options. It's up to the young person to choose the help they think is best.
Webchat service launched in 2006
One-to-one help via live webchat was launched three years ago and is currently available every evening throughout the week, with the aim to extend it to full helpline opening hours (1pm-11pm every day) as soon as we can. We've recognised through consultation with young people that online help is one of the most discreet and convenient ways for them to find help and webchat is proving very popular, currently representing 5% of contact to the helpline.
Our webchat service won the ICT Hub Award for Delivering Social and Environmental Benefits in 2007.