(RiseUp Powered by Kids Help Phone logo in black on green background)
(Pattern of animated green, black, and red shapes transition)
(A young person, walking, looking down, wearing a blue and green jacket against a blue sky, surrounded by a concrete overpass)
(A young person wearing a white sleeveless shirt and an orange headband with white circular shapes looks at the camera)
(Text appears For everything you can’t tell anyone.)
(A young person with glasses, headphones and a backpack, walks up an escalator while looking at a mobile device)
(Text appears Here for Black youth.)
(A smiling, young person, lying on a bed, looks at a mobile device)
(A red background with black text appears Text RISE to 68686)
(RiseUp Powered by Kids Help Phone logo in black on red background)
About RiseUp Powered by Kids Help Phone
RiseUp powered by Kids Help Phone is a Canada-wide, 24/7, bilingual e-mental health support service for African, Caribbean, and Black youth. The service is free and available from coast to coast to coast.
RiseUp is unique in how we celebrate and support young people from across the Afro-diaspora through every aspect of Kids Help Phone’s services. Together, we’re shaping and developing a future free from systemic anti-Black racism – grounded in a deeper understanding of the structural barriers that young Black people face when they connect for mental health and wellness support.
You can learn about how we’re implementing RiseUp: Kids Help Phone’s Action Plan For Supporting Black Youth under the leadership of the Black Advisory Council, at KHP
How RiseUp Powered by Kids Help Phone Supports Black Youth
Black youth across Canada can access free, confidential wellness & mental health support 24/7 by messaging online or texting RISE to 686868
Black Youth can also connect anonymously with a professional counsellor via phone or Live Chat for support 24/7.
Tools to Support Black Youth
Search for physical or virtual well-being supports (e.g. programs, services, tools, apps etc.) available, nearest your community and across Canada using Kids Help Phone’s directory of vetted, trustworthy resources.
Connect online with peers through safe, moderated forums where you can anonymously share experiences, offer inspiration, ask questions, and support one another.
Ways to get involved
Become a Crisis Responder
Our texting service is searching for volunteer crisis responders who identify as African, Caribbean, Black or part of the Afro-diaspora. If you want to find out more about this opportunity, you can read about the role and apply on our site. (Don’t forget to let us know that you applied through RiseUp powered by Kids Help Phone!)
Volunteer For We Rise: A Black Youth Engagement Program
Connect more Black youth with mental health and wellness resources, build community awareness, promote mental well-being, engage with peers, and contribute your insights to shape Kids Help Phone’s Black youth initiatives
Ready to make an impact?
Join the RiseUp Network
Subscribe to the RiseUp Newsletter to stay updated and be among the first to learn about new resources, supports, and partnership opportunities, and discover how RiseUp powered by Kids Help Phone is supporting Black youth across Canada.
Resources for Black Communities & Organizations
Want to spread the word? Request free Flyer, Posters, Stickers and Wallet cards to share with your community or download digital copies here.
For more information about RiseUp powered by Kids Help Phone, you can use our general inquiry form or contact us via email [email protected].
More Resources for Black Youth
Text support Q&A with a Black crisis responder
Understanding why it
can be hard to reach out for help
I’ve experienced racism — where can I find support?
Self-care can be more than bubble baths. Here’s our guide.
12 instant stress busters
3 letters about hope & the first day of school
Desiree Mckenzie on poetry, mental health and ending stigma
Black Child: A poem about social injustice
Youth story: Peer pressure & my combat against conformity
Youth story: On barriers to seeking mental health resources
Emotional truths from my own experiences growing up Black
Tanya Turton on healing through art and community
Resources Around Me
Want to talk to your peers? Check out these support forums.
