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Today in the UK, a critical new 24/7 text helpline has launched – @giveusashoutinsta This free text messaging helpline is a private, silent and trusted way, for those experiencing mental health challenges to find a safe space to seek help and support. This is an extension of the @heads_together initiative backed by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Earlier last year, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex began supporting this vital program behind the scenes by hosting a meeting at Kensington Palace with contributors and partners. Last November, Their Royal Highnesses also made a surprise visit to meet with a group of Shout volunteers, and participated in a panel with mental health activist @bryonygordon hearing firsthand how the volunteers have found making the connection with vulnerable texters, a majority of whom are under 25, so rewarding – helping to get them through a moment of crisis to a calmer place, and giving them courage to find longer-term support. Powered by a team of trained volunteers, Shout has already quietly enlisted and trained 1,000 volunteers over the last 12 months, whom in turn have helped 60,000 people. SHOUT is modeled on @crisistextline in the US, which since 2013 has processed more than 100 million messages, Shout is the largest initiative of The Royal Foundation to date, in partnership with @heads_together. Tapping into the UK’s volunteer community, Shout aims to recruit 3,000 additional volunteers by the end of the year. Mobilizing a volunteer community with this innovative use of technology will go a long way in helping people get the critical help they need, often in the darkest of times, when those are privately and silently suffering and afraid to seek help. To sign up to volunteer, visit www.giveusashout.org Be the change you wish to see in the world.

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Prince Harry might be a new dad, but he’s certainly not slowing down with work when it comes to causes that are important to him.

Just 24 hours after showing off 2-day-old Archie to the world, Harry set off to the Netherlands on a short visit for the launch of the Invictus Games, where he crammed in just about every activity possible. Today, Harry, Meghan, William, and Kate launched a new 24/7 text helpline in the UK, Shout, which gives “free text messaging helpline is a private, silent and trusted way, for those experiencing mental health challenges to find a safe space to seek help and support.” On the Shout Instagram, their royal highnesses wrote that, “we are incredibly excited to be launching this service knowing it has the potential to reach thousands of vulnerable people every day. We have all been able to see the service working up close and are so excited for its future.”

The service is an extension of the Heads Together initiative created by William, Kate, and Harry, which Meghan is now also a part of. Heads Together was created to tackle the stigma around mental health. So far, Shout has already enlisted and trained 1,000 volunteers over the past 12 months, helping 60,000 people. In an Instagram post from @Sussexroyal, it explained that Shout is modeled on the US-based Crisis Text Line, which since 2013 has processed more than 100 million messages. The initiative hopes to have an additional 3,000 volunteers by the end of next year, to “take people from crisis to calm everyday and help them form a plan to find long-term support.”


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