On this page, we talk about getting ready to call a helpline.
Helplines are phone numbers that will connect you to people who:
- care about what you are going through
- can give you good advice.
When to call a helpline
When you are going through a hard time it is normal to feel alone.
You can call a helpline to talk to someone about what you are going through.
The first step is to work out what type of help you need.
People call helplines for many reasons.
You might want to understand what is happening to you.
For example, you might want to know if the way you have been feeling is:
- normal
- part of a mental health problem.
You might also want someone to:
- listen to you without judging you
- help you make a decision
- help you work out what to do next.
You might call a helpline so they can connect you to services and supports.
Choosing which helpline to call
There are different helplines you can call in Australia.
Once you know what type of help you need, you can choose a helpline that is right for you.
For example, you can use a helpline for support with:
- money problems
- mental health problems
-
Discrimination is when people or services treat you unfairly because of a part of who you are.
There are helplines that provide support for
Sexual violence or abuse is when someone:
- makes you do sexual things you do not want to do
- does something sexual to you that you do not want them to do.
There are also helplines that provide support for people who experience
Domestic and family violence is when someone close to you hurts you, such as:
- your partner, like your boyfriend or girlfriend
- a member of your family
- someone who takes care of you
- someone you live with.
Some helplines also support people.
The letters LGBTQIA stand for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex and asexual.
The ‘+’ is for people who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community but do not talk about themselves using a word from this list.
You can search for helplines on the internet.
You can search the words ‘Australia’ and ‘helpline’.
Then you can type the problem you need help with, for example:
- ‘my partner hits me’
- ‘I cannot pay my bills’
- ‘disability discrimination at work’.
The most useful helplines should be in the top 3 search results.
We have a list of helplines on our website.
You can find out more on our page about a list of helplines that can support you.
Getting ready to call a helpline
It is a good idea to make a list of what support you need from the helpline.
You can share this list with the person you speak to.
You can also make a list of questions you have about the call.
For example, you might want to know:
- what happens if you tell them about something that is against the law
- if you can record the call so you remember what you talk about
-
how the helpline will protect your
When you have privacy, you can choose:
- what you want to keep safe and private
- what other people can know about you.
If it is safe to do, you can plan how you will make notes during the call.
Then you can work out a time and place that is safe for you to make the call.
If your house or phone is not safe to call from, you could:
- use a public phone
- make the call at a library
- borrow a phone from someone you trust.
Make sure you plan enough time for the call.
You might have to wait until someone can talk to you.
Before you end the call, take a moment to think about whether you have talked about everything you need to.
Support to call a helpline
You can call the National Relay Service if you:
- are deaf or hard of hearing
- have trouble speaking.
TTY (Type and Listen)
1800 555 677
Speak and listen
1300 555 727
You can ask the National Relay Service to connect you to any helpline you choose.
If you need support in a language other than English, you can call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS).
131 450
You can ask TIS to connect you to any helpline you choose.
