From the author: How many of us have tried calling the helpline ourselves? Which parents, teachers, psychologists would agree to call such a phone number with their problem? Children, even if they know something about helplines, generally do not trust them. Trust in the helpline The helpline is a truly effective means of helping children and their parents in difficult situations that require help and advice from a psychologist. Sometimes this is the only remedy available to children in a situation where there is no one else to turn to. We adults understand this well. But how many of us have tried calling the helpline ourselves? Which teachers and psychologists would agree to call such a phone number with their problem? Unfortunately, we do not have a sufficiently developed culture of visiting psychologists or contacting specialists who work on the helpline. And children, even if they know something about helplines, generally do not trust them. I work as a school psychologist and regularly conduct conversations with children, including about the helpline. Schoolchildren willingly listen to information from the school psychologist about the helpline, look at the posters, and wonder what issues their peers call there about. But when at the end of the conversation they are asked to write down the helpline in their diary, only a few agree. And even those who expressed their intention to call, as it turns out later, do not do so. Three years ago, the idea arose to involve high school volunteers, students of the same school, in the work of disseminating information about the helpline among students in grades 5-7. They don’t always speak smoothly, they get confused or forget the text, they don’t know how to maintain discipline, and, of course, adults are less able to explain a topic than we are. But children believe them more! They listen much more attentively when the guys talk about their experiences, about similar events in their lives. And the audience takes the advice given by inexperienced lecturers much more seriously. I proceeded from this when I invited my volunteers to conduct a “Helpline” campaign among students in grades 5-7. A presentation was compiled based on information about the federal helpline 8-800-2000-122. An excellent advertising video was shot about this phone, bright, interesting posters were developed that are understandable to children. First of all, the volunteers themselves went through the introductory training “Helpline” in order to understand, feel, and believe in it themselves. The guys who had unresolved questions and desires called the phone number provided, received advice and shared their experiences and impressions at a volunteer meeting. They chose examples that they would talk about, talked about this topic with teachers and parents, and split into pairs (the conversation is led by 2-3 volunteers). The action was a success. She gave a lot in terms of enriching the personal experience of the speaking volunteers and their audience. The children eagerly listened and watched the proposed material. The greatest interest was generated by the questions for which teenagers usually call the helpline. The highlight of the talk was always a “real-life incident” when the young lecturer spoke about the experience of calling a friend’s helpline. Respecting the right to confidentiality, the presenter did not say which of his classmates was being discussed, but they emphasized that this was a person taking part in this action. However, some speakers did not hesitate to say that they called personally and willingly shared the details of the consultation. At the end of the conversation, almost all listeners opened the diary and wrote down the helpline. The foundation of trust in this tool for solving personal, acute and seemingly insoluble problems among children was laid. Another technique that I began to use in trainings with students in grades 5-8 is the “Helpline” game. Adhering to the rule of anonymity in consultations via the helpline, the children wrote their questions on pieces of paper. What unexpected and multifaceted questions interest our children! Basically friendship, love and hate. If you want to try yourself as a psychologist-consultant,.