It's really important to share how you feel with others. To help spread the message, Nickelodeon Australia and Kids Helpline, Australia’s only free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people, are inviting Aussie kids to visit the official Get Real With Your Feels website on nick.com.au and take a special quiz about how they're feeling, answering using a SpongeBob mood board. Through the quiz, kids can learn about how they're feeling - whether they're happy, okay, lonely, sad, angry or worried - and find out more about Kids Helpline and its services, including the ways they can contact the organisation.
In 2013, Kids Helpline revealed that lonely and unhappy kids were flooding the counselling service with 460,000 phone calls a year, with its 130 psychologists and counsellors dealing with 25 cases of attempted or threatened suicide from children each day. Some kids called just to have a chat - because no other adults would listen.
"The most frequently raised issue is mental health concerns, and not far behind that is family relationships," said Kids Helpline general manager Wendy Protheroe.
"They want to know how to get on with their family and how to deal with conflict.
"They're really reaching out to have someone to talk to".
Ms Protheroe said a 6-year-old boy with divorced parents recently phoned to talk about his problems living between two households.
"He said, 'Thankyou for listening to me'," she said.
"He wants his mum and dad to listen to him and talk about what it's like for him."
Ms Protheroe said some children called for help in coping with parents suffering a mental illness.
But three young Aboriginal teenagers had called from Western Australia after they caught their first fish.
"They just wanted to tell someone how excited they were," she said.
Get Real With Your Feels is Nickelodeon Australia's latest collaboration with Kids Helpline. A Nickelodeon survey found that one in three Australian kids avoided activities they enjoy because they are worried other children will tease them. And one in five kids deliberately sit on the sidelines at sport to avoid being laughed.
In 2012, Nickelodeon launched "Dare To Be Square", a pro-social initiative front by the ever-optimistic superstar SpongeBob SquarePants to promote positivity and inclusiveness. For the 2013 edition of "Dare To Be Square", Nickelodeon teamed up with Australian pop, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter Guy Sebastian to release "Dare to be Square", a song Guy performed at SLIMEFEST 2013 that encourages kids to "be themselves", as a charity single to help raise money for Kids Helpline, Australia's only free, 24/7, confidential counselling service for kids.
Ms. Protheroe has called on Australians to pay more attention to children.
"It takes more than just a mum and dad to raise a child," she said.
"It takes a community.
"When you walk past a child, how often do you smile and say 'Hello'?
"There are a lot of kids out there who feel quite lost."
If you need support or just want to chat to someone, Kids Helpline are here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No problem is too big or too small. Kids Helpline can be contacted free by calling them on 1800 55 1800, via email counsellor@kidshelpline.com.au, or by using the web chat option online at kidshelpline.com.au.
About Kids Helpline
Launched in 1991, Kids Helpline (KHL) is yourtown’s counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. It’s free, confidential, available 24/7, and accessible by phone (1800 55 1800) and online . KHL gives children and young people choices, support and someone to listen - anytime, anywhere.
Kids Helpline is Australia’s only free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. Counsellors respond to more than 6,000 calls each week about issues ranging from relationship breakdowns and cyberbullying, to sexual abuse, homelessness, suicidal thoughts, and drug and alcohol use.
For 26 years Australia’s kids and young people have been turning to the organisation's professional, specialised counsellors, no matter who they are, where they live or what they want to talk about.
Over this time, they have responded to over 7.5 million contacts. For some young people, connecting with Kids Helpline has been a life-saving experience, while for others it’s about practical help and emotional support at the critical moment they need someone to listen.
Kids Helpline can be contacted free by calling them on 1800 55 1800, via email counsellor@kidshelpline.com.au, or by using the web chat option online at kidshelpline.com.au.
To find out more about Kids Helpline, please visit kidshelpline.com.au.
About Nickelodeon's Together For Good
Nickelodeon's Together For Good celebrates kids all over the world who are making positive changes at home, at school and in their communities! Together, Nickelodeon wants to help viewers to talk about the topics that help them better understand the people around them. Everyone can be whoever they want to be, so have conversations, learn from each other, and follow your dreams! Because together we can all make a difference...together for good! For more information about Nickelodeon's Together For Good, visit good.nick.com.au
About Nickelodeon Networks
Nickelodeon, now in its 38th year globally and 23rd year in Australia, is a globally recognised and widely distributed multimedia entertainment brand for kids and family. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes both locally produced and global television programming plus consumer products, digital applications, theme parks, recreation, books and feature films.
Nickelodeon Australia has been named Channel of The Year twice by ASTRA and won numerous industry awards. Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. channels air 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are seen in over 2.3 million households via Foxtel (Channel 701) and Fetch TV (Channel 146). Outside of the United States, Nickelodeon is a part of Viacom International Media Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. www.nick.com.au.
Additional sources: news.com.au, LinkedIn, Wikipedia (I, II), Optus.
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