This is a plea for help at a time of great need and distress! Young people in mental distress need us now more than ever and Muslim Youth Helpline is on the frontline every day; 365 days a year providing culturally sensitive support to any young person in need. Find out more here: www.myh.org.uk The expert helpline team are busier than ever in our 19 year history and we've had a 313% increase on calls from desperate young people struggling to deal with anxiety, grief and feeling hopeless. We have already increased helpline shifts but we need to do even more to meet overwhelming demand. We don't want to miss single call; we know the desperation young people face and have launched our 'CORONAVIRUS EMERGENCY APPEAL'. As each day passes we expect more young people will need our help and many have no one to turn to except for us. Please help us and donate anything you can so we don't miss a single call and support every single young person who is in desperate need.

What we'll deliver:

• Recruit an additional helpline officer to take calls on the frontline
• Support more young people in distress by expanding our helpline provision
• Provide online training to strengthen emotional resilience and safeguarding

Why it's a great idea:

It is widely recognised that mental health problems are responsible for the greatest proportion of ill health in the 10-18 age range. During the Covid 19 pandemic the mental wellbeing of young people is being disproportionately impacted and our helpline is witness to this. Expert helpline officers provide compassionate, confidential support to strengthen young people's emotional resilience and help them to develop coping strategies enabling them to navigate their way through a difficult experience or situation. We can reach more young people on a wider basis. Signpost to additional support and online resources enables young people in need to access more support and guidance. Provide expert guidance to adults on safeguarding. Visit our webpage to see further details on research we have carried out: https://www.myh.org.uk/mental-health-statistics

Steps to get it done:

• Recruiting an additional helpline officer to add capacity to provide support to young people

Muslim Youth Helpline is a registered award winning charity operating for almost 20 years now. The work of the Muslim Youth Helpline focuses on three main areas: 1) The Helpline: Provide support at the point of crisis for those that need emotional support and signposting. ​2) Training & Workshops: We deliver training to organisations to improve the lives of young Muslims and champion the expansion of listening support and counselling services to help alleviate suffering before it occurs. 3) Research: we undertake and share research to raise awareness of the issues Muslim youth are going through so we can work with partners to improve lives. My connection with MYH is as an advisor and i have been involved for almost 2 years now. I am passionate about the protection and support of young people and always will be. This campaign is a family affair actively supported by my 2 children. Young people are our future - please donate generously and help us to achieve more right now!