Lifeline (Crisis Support Service) - Key Facts

Key Facts

• Lifeline receives over one million contacts each year from help-seekers, via mediums such as telephone, web and face-to-face.

• Lifeline's 24-hour crisis support line offers a confidential, non-judgemental service offered by trained telephone support volunteers

• Somewhere in Australia there is a new call to Lifeline every 50 seconds

• Lifeline answers around 1400 call a day in Australia

• People who call Lifeline's 24-hour crisis support line call for a range of reasons including but not limited to; family and relationship concerns, crisis support, suicide prevention, matters relating to abuse and violence, support and information about drug and alcohol use and loneliness

• Lifeline receives more than 50 calls a day from people at high risk of suicide

• Lifeline is involved in all aspects of suicide prevention across a spectrum of care including early intervention, continuing care and postvention bereavement support

• Lifeline provides access to a range of services such as suicide prevention support, self-help resources and mental health information, as well as a variety of programs specific to the needs of local communities

• Lifeline relies on funding from the community through donations, fundraising and corporate partnerships

• Approx 80% of Centre operating costs are funded by revenue raised from Lifeline's retail, book fairs and fundraising activities

• Lifeline receives some government funding at both the national and state level, which goes towards specific programs and services

• Lifeline has over 260 retail outlets around the country which sell a variety of clothes, furniture and bric-a-brac. Some Lifeline Centres have a number of stores but not all Lifeline Centres have retail outlets

• Lifeline operates a free call donation line 1800,800,768, however people can donate securely via the national website www.lifeline.org.au

• Lifeline is always in need of volunteers to work in telephone crisis support, in retail operations or to assist with fundraising efforts

• Lifeline has over 11,000 dedicated volunteers who donate their time and skills to the organisation and to assist others. Around half of these volunteers work as telephone crisis support volunteers

• Lifeline runs a National fundraising campaign – Stress Down Day around the end of July. The campaign is on 27 July in 2012 and encourages Australians reduce stress and have fun in return for a financial donation to Lifeline: for more information www.stressdown.org.au