The Trevor Project 6/2010
What is the Trevor Project?
The Trevor Project is a national, nonprofit organization that promotes tolerance for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning teenagers and aids in suicide prevention among that group. The Trevor Helpline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Trevor Helpline is a phone bank staffed by trained counselors willing to help those in crisis, or those wanting information on how to help someone in crisis. The call is free and won’t appear on your phone bill.
Established in 1998 to coincide with the HBO airing of the award winning short film "Trevor", hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, The Trevor Helpline is the only national 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention hot line aimed at gay and questioning youth. The Trevor Helpline is geared toward helping those in crisis, or those wanting information on how to help someone in crisis.
Did you know?
- Suicide is 1 of the top 3 causes of death among 15 to 24 year olds?
- For every teenager who takes their own life, there are 20 more who try?
- Gay teens are 3 times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers?
- Teenage suicide has risen by more than 200% since 1960?
Sexual orientation and gender identity alone are not risk factors for suicide. However, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth face many social factors that put them at higher risk for self-destructive behaviors, including suicide. The Trevor Project believes that the high rates of suicide are preventable. To this end, the Trevor Project created The Trevor Teaching Guide, a classroom tool to be used in conjunction with the short film, “Trevor”, to constructively generate discussion about the myriad of issues surrounding suicide, personal identity and sexual orientation. Through education and frank, open discussions with all youth about the issues that cause them to feel isolated, alone, misunderstood and "different" from their peers, educators can make a difference.
The Trevor Helpline History:
When “Trevor” was scheduled to air on HBO, the film's creators began to realize that some of the program's teen viewers might be facing the same kind of crisis as Trevor, so they began their search for a support line to help address this specific need. When they discovered that no national 24-hour toll-free suicide hotline existed that was geared towards gay youth, they decided to establish their own and began the search for funding. Thanks to a generous startup grant from The Colin Higgins Foundation, The Trevor Helpline was born, and the search for funding continues to maintain the helpline on a permanent basis.
How can I learn more about the Trevor Project?
Online, visit the Trevor Project web site at: www.thetrevorproject.org .
By phone, you can call the Trevor Project Helpline by dialing 1-866-488-7386. (866-4U-TREVOR)