The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have launched Shout, a free, anonymous service that connects people experiencing a mental health crisis.
Today (10 May), William, Kate, Harry and Meghan have announced their support of the initiative, with £3 million from their Royal Foundation, its biggest investment to date.
TEXT
The free, anonymous service uses text messaging to connect people experiencing a mental health crisis with volunteers.
Using text messaging, Shout offers a convenient, confidential way to seek mental health support. Simply text Shout to 85258 for help.
The initiative, ran by the charity Mental Health Innovations, trialled last year with 1,000 volunteers signed up to give support. Over the 12 month period 60,000 conversations took place.
CRISIS
The service helps users move from crisis to calm no matter what they are experiencing. From suicidal thoughts to relationship issues, the service is available for all ages to talk about any issue affecting their mental health.
Shout was developed by the Royal Foundation, the charity the couples set up together. Previously, Kate, William and Harry launched their Heads Together campaign through the charity.
The new initiative is now looking for more volunteers to provide support via text. All volunteers are supported by clinically trained supervisors, must be over 18, and are required to complete 25 hours of online training.
You don’t have to have endless free time to help, volunteers are asked to commit between two and four hours to the service each week.
If you are interested in volunteering for Shout, click here.
Would you be more likely to use a text service like Shout to seek support? Let us know on Twitter and Instagram.