Yes, all the kids these days have mobile phones. But the novelty of “total phone” — does anyone under 18 even know what that is? — and things like caller ID aren’t just taken for granted, they’re often ignored, because young people are texting, IMing, BBMing, Facebooking, and Tweeting, not dialing. Not only has all this new keyboard-based technology changed the way young people communicate, it’s changed the way they interact socially. And that includes their comfort level with counselors, like those at the Trevor Project, a organization founded for LGBT young people that offers a national hotline. But now they’ve got plans to let kids actually communicate with trained counselors over the web.
It’s one of these “well, duh” sort of innovations. We can get live support from our credit card companies, cable operators, and favorite online web stores via chat, and soon America’s queer youth will be able to get that same support from the Trevor Project, as its executive director tells Waymon Hudson of Fight Out Loud. This is excellent news, in a world where it’s sometimes easier for parents to get their kid’s attention by texting him.
Which is what advocacy groups should be doing: adapting and evolving.
TommyOC
Better late than never, I say.
Jon
The thing that still makes me angry is that the short film “Trevor” isn’t available on the web. . .it got co-opted by some crap porn company.
carson
yes!
i’ve been meaning to call, but i cant really call without getting nervous. haha
Joe
He said it costs the Trevor Project $15 per phone call, but I’m not seeing where that number comes from. Their 2009 annual report (available on their website) says they fielded ~25,000 phone calls that year, and program expenses were ~$950,000 (total expenses were about $1.4M). That gives me ~$40 per phone call.
I understand that they do more than just answering phone calls, but at a $15 / $40 ratio, I’d like a better breakdown of their costs.
Elise Marie Myrvang Eikeland
Greetings from Norway! How are you? I came over this site when reading about The Trevor Project online. Personally I am very supporting of all the work that The Trevor Project is doing and about their crisis lifeline. I know how it is to be discriminated for being a lesbian, to be told I am sick for loving another woman. Enough is enough there should be equal rights for all no matter who you are or were you live.
I am running my own fundraiser on a site called Crowdrise, here you can see it: http://www.crowdrise.com/fundraiserelise/fundraiser/elisemariemyrvangeik there are many teammembers supporting it from all over the world. I would love you to become a teammember to and help support my fundraiser to raise more funds for helping gay teens.
Cheers,
Elise Marie