Communicating with a troubled teenager is very important in order to guide him and provide the support that he needs. Sometimes it’s that one crucial conversation a teen has with a loved-one before a big event that pushes the idea of self-harm out of his head. Face it parents, communication is of dire importance and the way technology is speeding up also affects the trend or form of communication that is popular with the teenagers. Texting is a new hit among the teens. It can definitely be cheaper than calling all the time and it’s quick and easy. The Swindon branch of the Samaritans took notice of the popularity of this type of communication among teenagers and is presently providing emotional support through text to teens dealing with problems or issues.

The volunteers are being trained in order to make sure that they are accustomed to the teen text abbreviations being used but the replies themselves are encouraged to be in completed spelling. There are certainly a lot of text abbreviations out there and they are creating more and more. You could say that text has almost created its own language.

Partnering with the Swindon branch of Samaritans to make this possible is the well-known mobile phone company Motorola. Motorola is donating L26,000 for texting to teens.

Richard Moss, branch director of the Samaritans, says "We all know how much young people choose texting as their preferred method of 'talking'."

Chairman of Motorola, David Brown also remarks: "As a major manufacturer of mobile phones we recognize the importance of SMS in the community, particularly among young people who sometimes find it hard to give voice to their worries."

The volunteers of the Samaritans intend on providing support to any teenager who sends a text message with a confidential reply that does not force any judgment on the individual in order to provide healthy emotional support. This is a beautiful and important point because many teens are afraid to ask for help because they are in fear of being judged. Sometimes the hardest part about coming up to someone for help is admitting to them that you’ve done something wrong. But because the volunteers are replying in this way, teens should not feel discouraged about seeking aid or emotional support.

All volunteers aim to reply within 10 minutes of each text. For teens, support is just a text away!