WhatsApp - A New Way To Contact The Meic Helpline in Wales
2024
WhatsApp - A New Way To Contact The Meic Helpline in Wales
Meic is the information, advice, and advocacy helpline for children and young people under 25 in Wales. Funded by Welsh Government, the service is managed by ProMo Cymru, a non-profit organisation with a mission to use creative change for social good.
At ProMo Cymru, we understand that children and young people are busy navigating the complexities of life. WhatsApp offers a convenient and familiar way to connect with a Meic advisor on their terms.
According to NHS Wales’ (2020) research, WhatsApp is Wales's second most popular social media app. Due to its widespread use and popularity, it was a great way to integrate support into an app that many young people already use. This familiarity may help more young people feel comfortable when accessing support, especially due to its discreet nature.
While other apps such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat are popular with children and young people, WhatsApp currently offers more privacy and control when it comes to moderating conversations. WhatsApp messages are encrypted, meaning only a user and a Meic adviser can read them.
We use a call-handling service to protect the identity of users by concealing their name, phone number, and profile picture from advisers. This ensures confidentiality and anonymity which is crucial when promoting the helpline and can greatly influence a child or young person’s decision to seek support from Meic. Using a call-handling service means our advisers can breach confidentiality if there is a risk of serious harm or threat to life.
Since the launch of our WhatsApp support in July 2024, Meic has delivered a promotional campaign targeted towards children, young people and the youth work professionals who support them.
The focus has been on sharing short-form video content being across social media platforms, particularly on TikTok. New merchandise with our updated contact details has been created to share at events and with professionals working with young people.
Find out more about the Meic development.
