From Maui to DC: Youth Voices Are Changing the Conversation

This September, during National Suicide Prevention Month, communities across the country are being reminded of something simple but incredibly important: connection matters.

Reaching out matters. Listening matters. And sometimes, having someone on the other end of the conversation who truly understands what you are going through can make all the difference.

That idea is at the heart of YouthLine, a free, confidential peer-to-peer help, support, and crisis line for young people up to age 24. And this summer, eight YouthLine volunteers took that message somewhere few teenagers ever have the opportunity to go: Washington, D.C.

Five volunteers from Oregon and three from Maui traveled to the nation’s capital to advocate for youth mental health and the importance of peer support. For seven of the eight, it was their first visit to Washington. By the time they left, they had spoken with lawmakers, participated in an international summit, and shared their experiences with some of the most influential voices in mental health and suicide prevention policy.

And people listened.

YouthLine volunteers participated in the Global Crisis Now Summit alongside suicide prevention experts from around the world. They also led a discussion attended by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, Mazie Hirono, Jeff Merkley and Tim Kaine, along with U.S. Representative Don Beyer. Senator Hirono, who was initially scheduled to meet briefly with the group, ultimately spent more than an hour talking with the young volunteers about YouthLine and its peer-support model.

For the three volunteers from Maui, the trip was also a powerful example of just how far this relatively new local program has come.

YouthLine Hawaiʻi operates its Maui call center right out of Imua Family Services’ main office in Kahului, creating a place where trained young volunteers can be there for other young people when they need someone to listen. A conversation might be about stress or anxiety, relationships, a difficult day, feeling overwhelmed, or simply needing someone to talk to.

No problem is too big or too small.

When YouthLine first began recruiting volunteers on Maui, the goal was to find just four or five young people willing to take part. Instead, 12 students representing four Maui high schools stepped forward for the inaugural training. Another cohort followed this spring, helping build a growing network of young people prepared to support their peers.

What began with a small group of Maui teens answering calls and texts has now taken some of those same youth more than 4,800 miles from home to speak directly with national leaders about why their voices belong in conversations about youth mental health.

And now, the opportunity is opening again.

The Next YouthLine Training Is Coming This Fall

YouthLine Hawaiʻi will host its next volunteer training during fall break, October 5 through 9, giving another group of Maui youth the chance to become part of the program.

The training helps young volunteers develop real-world skills in active listening, communication, crisis intervention, de-escalation, and mental health support. But perhaps just as importantly, it gives young people an opportunity to discover how powerful their own experiences, empathy, and willingness to listen can be.

This September, Suicide Prevention Month reminds us that prevention does not belong only to professionals, organizations, or policymakers. It can also begin between two young people, with one reaching out and another choosing to be there.

Eight YouthLine volunteers carried that message all the way to Washington this summer. Three carried Maui with them. And this October, the next group of young people will have the opportunity to begin their own journey.

Ready to Join YouthLine?

The next YouthLine Maui volunteer training is coming up during fall break, October 5–9. It’s an opportunity for young people to learn how to listen, support their peers, and become part of a growing network of youth making a difference right here on Maui.

Registration information is coming soon. In the meantime, interested youth can text YLVol to 85511 or email YLVolunteering@linesforlife.org to learn more and take the first step toward joining the YouthLine team.

Because sometimes making a difference starts with one of the simplest things we can offer another person:

“I’m here. I’m listening.”