Lifeline Canberra

For more than 35 years Lifeline Canberra has been offering crisis telephone counselling to the people of Canberra and the surrounding region. Counselling is possible because of the dedication of some 200 trained volunteer telephone counsellors who fill shifts to ensure that the phone will be answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition Lifeline Canberra provides a number of other programs which complement the crisis service. More details about these programs can be found on this site.

The vision of Lifeline Canberra is ‘Resilient Individuals, Healthy Communities’. Our mission is ‘to enhance the well-being of the community through the provision of counselling and counselling related services, the core of which is a 24 hour telephone counselling service provided by trained volunteer counsellors.’

We have 4 strategic goals:

1. To ensure excellence in the quality and delivery of all Programs and Services
2. To provide leadership and Advocacy within the ACT Community Sector
3. To build strong partnerships and support community development
4. To build organizational capacity by implementing best practice processes at all levels of the organisation

As part of an Australia wide network of Lifeline Centres, Lifeline Canberra takes calls from people who are in need of support at times of crisis. The crisis may be large or small, immediate or on-going, whatever the situation counsellors provide impartial, non-judgmental, confidential counselling.

Statement of Beliefs and Shared Values

The Board of Lifeline Canberra endorses the following Statement of Beliefs and shared Values developed by Lifeline Australia. Many parts of this document form the basis of the rationale behind the Policies and Procedures of Lifeline Canberra.

We affirm our living heritage.

Lifeline affirms its founding vision to make care accessible to all, in every community. The Christian heritage that shapes that vision views our neighbour as anyone in need.

Lifeline invites any who share this vision to help provide accessible support and strengthen community.

Lifeline creates opportunities for community participation. We value the unique way volunteers and staff serve together, enriching Lifeline and the wider community.

Within Lifeline, people of differing beliefs and backgrounds work respectfully together, to create a spirit of support and service.

We support people in community.

We believe in caring for the whole person - mind, body, spirit and relationships. We seek to instil hope and sustain living, journeying with people through the problems and possibilities in their lives, nurturing healing and growth.

We believe in inclusive communities - where everyone can belong and contribute. We seek to embrace diversity by kindling a spirit of fairness and openness that overwrites prejudice, builds understanding and promotes wellbeing.

We believe people can grow through crises - finding resources to see and respond to painful situations in new ways. We seek to hear what is hurtful to people, inform healthy choices and support them in actions that enhance their wellbeing.

Our values respect everyone's right to be heard, understood and cared for.

Therefore we:

Embrace diversity, working with and for people from all beliefs, cultures and backgrounds.

Show compassion through respectful relationships that give competent care.

Invite trust  through active listening that seeks understanding;

Instil hope by nurturing growth through the pain and possibilities in crises;

Inform choices that increase safety, enhance wellness and sustain living;

Empower people by enabling their ability to care for themselves and others;

Build communities that show fairness, enhance resilience and promote belonging.

Print the Statement of Beliefs and Shared Values Here from a pdf file