Happy birthday Nummer gegen Kummer: 40th anniversary

In 2020, the German helpline Nummer gegen Kummer e.V. celebrated its 40th anniversary: 40 years of counselling at the child helpline, 40 years of volunteering, and 40 years of networking with strong partners. During these years, the helpline has offered a safe place to talk in approximately 4.7 million counselling sessions by being there, listening and providing support.

Date 2021-07-16 Author German Safer Internet Centre Section helplines, news Topic media literacy/education Audience media specialist, organisations and industry, research, policy and decision makers
Graphic design representing the 40 years celebration

An overview of 40 years of activities

Looking back since its launch, Nummer gegen Kummer has established the largest toll-free telephone counselling service for children, young people and parents in Germany. The helpline network consists of 89 members and 3,000 volunteer counsellors nationwide. Volunteers dedicate their time to support children, young people, and parents. Even in the challenging times of the pandemic, they were committed to helping others and were willing to work extra shifts to ensure that young people and parents were not alone during such a difficult situation.

It all started with a helpline for children and youth in 1980, and the network of counselling services has expanded ever since. 

The helpline milestones

  • 1980: child helpline “Child and youth telephone”
  • 1994: peer-to-peer project “Youth counselling youth”
  • 2001: “Parent’s telephone” helpline
  • 2003: email counselling for children and youth
  • 2019: chat counselling for children and youth

Since 2008, together with strong partners within the German Safer Internet Centre, Nummer gegen Kummer has been able to contribute to a better internet for children by making sure that their voices are heard and that they receive the support they need. Opportunities to exchange experiences and best practices have been made possible with other helplines and organisations working for the protection of children across Europe, as part of the Insafe network – and indeed all around the world, as Nummer gegen Kummer is a founding member of Child Helpline International (CHI). The commitment, expertise and diversity within these networks has been beneficial.

Looking forward, the commitment to providing support to those who need it in the best possible way continues together with partners, helping children to benefit from the opportunities of the digital world as well as protecting them from online risks.

Online celebrations

During a “week of engagement” in September 2020, an online campaign was organised on the Nummer gegen Kummer website and social media channels. Over the course of two weeks, 40 years of helpline history was revisited. But there is still more to celebrate: in 2021, the parents’ helpline will celebrate its 20th anniversary with over 200,000 counselling sessions delivered since it was established.

Watch Nummer gegen Kummer’s anniversary video “40 years of Nummer gegen Kummer” below.

 

Additionally, you can watch a collection of birthday clips on YouTube.

German helpline Nummer gegen Kummer can be accessed via its website, as well as on social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.

Find out more about the work of the German Safer Internet Centre, including its awareness raising, helpline, hotline and youth participation services, or find similar information for Safer Internet Centres throughout Europe.

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