As a leading and global youth organisation, we’re here to help young people overcome the issues that affect and hold them back the most. Our core strands of support include bullying, digital wellbeing, mental health, relationships and identity.
What we do
This is less of an introduction and more of a thank you. I have had many troubling and confusing moments in my life, and this community made me not afraid to share what happened and what was worrying me and find help. It has helped me through so much, and I just want to thank everyone for this
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The support Ditch the Label has given to me has honestly been a beam of light that I needed whilst a thousand hands pulled me down into the darkness. Thank you.
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So thanks for the great advice. I did come out to my dad and it went very well! He accepted me the way I am and since he is a priest it went better than I hoped it would go. He told me that it was completely okay and since he has prior experience with people who are lesbian or gay than he took it very well. I’m just happy that I could tell someone. You’ve helped me so much.
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My daughter posted some concerning messages yesterday on your website and someone from your site got in touch with her school and let them know. Her guidance counsellor contacted me and we were able to get her to a crisis therapy centre first thing this morning. I had no idea she was feeling that way, and I praise you for intervening so she could get the help she needs. Her father and I are so very grateful.
*Name changed for confidentiality
Browse Through
Frequently Asked questions
What is Ditch the Label?
Answer: Good question! We are one of the largest youth charities in the world. If you’re aged 12-25, you can talk to us anything that is bothering you for free help and support. We’re mainly here to help with thinks such as bullying, mental health, cyberbullying, body-image, relationships, sex, identity and coming out. We are a registered charity in the UK and a registered 501(C)(3) in the USA.
What are your objectives?
Answer: Our objectives are as follows:
- To contribute to the growing body of knowledge and innovation when it comes to young people and bullying, digital wellbeing, mental health, identity and relationships through the use of research.
- To provide direct help and support to young people aged 12-25 who are impacted by our core strands of issues, ultimately improving their wellbeing, esteem and health.
- To prevent issues such as bullying, hate speech, radicalisation and poor mental health through the use of education in schools and colleges across the United Kingdom.
- To positively influence how society thinks and behaves; reducing the rates of issues such as stigma, prejudice, abuse and hate speech.
- To share our knowledge and innovation with wider stakeholders; influencing policy and the experiences of young people globally; and to collaborate with other charitable and youth organisations.
How are you funded?
Answer: We work hard to ensure that our funding streams remain diverse and as sustainable as possible. Our primary sources of funding include corporate sponsorship, trusts and foundations, major donors, fundraising activity and profits from Ditch the Label merchandising.
We receive no Government funding, which means that Ditch the Label is completely independent.
If you would like to make a donation to Ditch the Label, please click here.
How do I get help?
Answer: There are multiple ways in which you can get help from Ditch the Label. Click here to browse our support guides, here to join our free support community and here to get in touch for more options.
If I get help from you, is it confidential?
Answer: Pretty much, yes. The only time it isn’t confidential is if you tell us that either you or somebody else is at immediate risk of significant harm – in that case, we will work with our partners to make sure you, or the person you know is given the right level of support. If you are in danger, please contact the Police or an adult who you trust.
Who started Ditch the Label and why?
Answer: Our Founder and current CEO, Liam Hackett launched Ditch the Label in 2012 and still leads the organisation today. Ditch the Label initially started as an anti-bullying charity before further growing to a broader youth remit in 2020. The inspiration behind our charity came from Liam’s experiences of bullying and his use of the internet to find help and support. You can read more about the history of Ditch the Label here.
Do you work with other charities and organisations?
Answer: Absolutely. A huge focus for Ditch the Label is to collaborate with as many relevant stakeholders and organisations as possible. We are proud to work with organisations both within and external to the youth sector, along with Government departments, academics, Universities, activists, social networks, media and brand partners.
Do you work with children below the age of 12?
Answer: No. Ditch the Label works with young people aged 12-25 only. This means that we are able to focus heavily on the biggest issues that are currently affecting young people the most. Additionally, our focus on this age range means that we are able to offer the best level of support, tailored specifically for a teenage/young adult audience.
How do I get involved?
Answer: Well the good news is, there are plenty of ways to work with us!
- For brand partnerships, click here.
- For trusts, foundations and major donors, click here to contact us.
- To make donation, click here.
- To buy merchandise, click here.
- To share your story, click here.
- For all other opportunities, click here.
Where does your funding go? How much do you spend on X?
Answer: Our funding is primarily used to cover the following:
- Direct support for young people negatively impacted by issues such as bullying, mental health, online abuse, relationships, hate crimes and identity.
- Development of support guides and resources for young people.
- Primary and secondary research to understand the issues impacting young people the most, and as a driver for innovation.
- Campaigns designed to raise awareness, connect young people in need with our support and positively influence societal attitudes and behaviours.
- Infrastructure to manage relationships with key policy influencers across Governments, industry and social media.
- Development of new technologies to deliver support.
- Overhead costs such as rent, utilities, telecoms, postage, web hosting, administration support, staff salaries, safeguarding and security.
- Fundraising costs, primarily used to cover fundraiser salaries.
For every £1 donated to Ditch the Label, 87p is spent on delivering support and 13p is spent on overheads and fundraising.
I have a question that isn't listed, where do I go?
Answer: Please drop us an email, here!
Do you have any teaching resources available?
Answer: We do and they are all completely free. Head over to DTLED.org to download free teaching resources.
I'm a student/academic, can I use your data?
Answer: You are free to use our research in your work/reports, provided that you use adequate referencing. Unfortunately we cannot share our datasets with third parties.
FUN FACTS
- Ditch the Label started in 2012, but the idea was born in 2006.
- In 2019, over 3.6M people visited the Ditch the Label website.
- It is estimated that every minute, 4 people benefit from Ditch the Label support.
- To date, over 90M people have watched our videos.
USEFUL LINKS
