ChatBus Trust is the safe place for children to go when they don’t want to talk or are unable to talk to anyone in their family circle.

ChatBus Trust is based in Dunedin. To be able to assist the youth in the community, ChatBus works with counsellors. In 2020, ChatBus had only 8 counsellors, but that number has since increased to 10. To help the ChatBus cause, the counsellors working with them are:

• Professionally trained to help the youth understand difficult situations, while guiding them through it.
• Based in schools and similar establishments.
• Members of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors (NZAC).
• Assigned to different communities in Dunedin that require their assistance.

It is very difficult to quantify a changed life, but they have many anecdotal stories of lives that have been changed by their experience at ChatBus. Chatbus is becoming an increasingly essential service requested by and offered by schools so that the children in the community can access counselling.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Chatbus Trust for guiding the kids of the Dunedin community. We know how hard it can be to organise and support such services, and Catalytic Foundation is proud to have supported them and be part of this amazing family.

The recent findings from our Covid-19 Community Needs research has found that community charities need our help now more than ever. Please consider a donation or setting up workplace giving so we can get support to where it's needed most.