In the 1960′s, Alan Walker a Protestant clergyman, received a telephone call from a Roy Brown, a man who was so desperate that he said he had written a letter, outlining his intention to commit suicide. The minister arranged to met him the following Tuesday, but before the meeting could take place, he learned that Roy Brown had committed suicide.
It was then that Alan Walker decided to start a telephone service that would offer support and hope to those in distress. LifeLine came into being in Sydney, in 1963.
The Rev. George Irvine, and The Rev. Paul Welsh started LifeLine Ekurhuleni (East Rand) in Benoni in 1970.
Today LifeLine International has over 250 centres in 14 different countries. There are 26 LifeLine centres in Southern Africa.
To facilitate individuals and communities throughout Ekurhuleni embracing emotional wellness.
Engage communities and the individuals within them in active dialogue and participation.
Seek an understanding of each community.
Stimulate growth for individuals and communities by providing expert training and facilitating dialogue.
Support sustainable social change and emotional wellness in/for/with/by communities.
Provide accessible, free and confidential counselling services.
We hold to a set of guiding principles that govern the way we work and engage with communities.
Integrity.
We believe in the value of Emotional Wellness and we practice what we preach by seeking ways to pursue it for ourselves and others.
We deeply respect and value the differences in people and culture and believe that Emotional Wellness is a universal human need.
We commit to do all we can to promote and facilitate Emotional Wellness.
We want to get out of old moulds and mindsets and apply fresh thinking in our quest for “Emotional Wellness for All”.
