What Tel-jeunes does

Tel-jeunes is a Quebec-based nonprofit organization that provides free, confidential frontline support services to adolescents aged 12-17 and to parents of teens. The service is delivered through an integrated multi-channel platform spanning phone (1-800-263-2266), SMS/text (1-866-811-4811), live chat, an anonymous peer-support forum (TJ Forum), and thematic content on mental health, relationships, sexuality, and substance use. Operations run daily from 8 a.m. to midnight with bilingual French/English coverage, and interventions are handled by in-house professional counsellors trained in psychology, counselling, and sexology — explicitly not volunteers or automated responders. The organization also operates a parallel parent support line (1-800-361-5085) under the LigneParents brand, as well as a peer-chat service called Ado Tj.

The underlying "platform" combines a confidential multi-channel intervention system with safety/escalation architecture (clinical coordination, suicide-risk assessment pathways, and a designated Clinical Coordinator). Extending the core service, Tel-jeunes has built an educator and athletics product suite: the Tj Toolkit of free digital classroom resources, the Brise-Glace Strategy that normalizes help-seeking behavior among teen athletes, and free sex-education training for school staff, alongside in-class workshops delivered across Quebec.

Tel-jeunes is funded entirely through donations to the Tel-jeunes Foundation, with no fees charged to end users. Its go-to-market is direct-to-consumer (youth and parents reaching the helpline on their own initiative) layered with event-driven fundraising — most notably the annual Lobster Lunch, the largest philanthropic luncheon in Quebec, which net-raised a record C$1.5 million at its 40th edition in 2026. Major donors span Quebec banks (Banque Nationale, Banque Laurentienne, Fondation RBC), corporates (Lassonde, Metro, TELUS, Rio Tinto Alcan, Hydro-Québec, Power Corporation, Caisse de dépôt), and foundations (Fondation Bombardier, Fondation Marcelle et Jean Coutu, Chamandy Foundation, Deloitte). The 32-person organization is headquartered in Montreal and handled approximately 60,000 requests for help in 2025-2026, with about 50% of contacts relating to mental health and roughly one in five interventions requiring a suicide-risk assessment.

Name

Tel-jeunes

Legal name

Tel-jeunes

Website

https://teljeunes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tel-jeunes is a Quebec-based nonprofit that provides free, confidential phone, text, chat, and forum support to teens aged 12-17 and their parents, staffed by trained professional counsellors and funded entirely through donations to the Tel-jeunes Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mental Health Helpline Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Support Hotlines & Digital Wellbeing Tools (EDAJAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health Teletherapy Platforms (HLALAEAF), Behavioral Health & MTSS/RTI Tiered SEL Supports (EDAKAMAE), Staff Training, Coaching & Professional Development (SEL/Mental Health) (EDAKAMAL)

Keywords

• Youth mental health support
• Crisis intervention services
• Parent helpline services
• Teen counseling services
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations to Tel-jeunes Foundation: Organization is funded entirely through donations to the Tel-jeunes Foundation. Donations support daily operation of frontline services including phone, chat, and SMS support for youth and parents from 8am to midnight.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Tel-jeunes is a free, confidential frontline support service for Quebec teens aged 12-17 and their parents, providing professional counseling via phone (1-800-263-2266), SMS text (1-866-811-4811), and online chat from 8 a.m. to midnight, 7 days a week. The service is staffed by trained professional counselors in psychology, counselling, and sexology (not volunteers) and is offered in French and English. Adjacent offerings include an anonymous peer-support forum (TJ Forum), parent support line (LigneParents), educator resources (TJ Toolkit), Brise-Glace Strategy for teen athletes, sex education training, and in-class school workshops.

Product overview

Tel-jeunes operates as a unified helpline platform offering multiple communication channels (phone, text, chat) for teens aged 12-17 and their parents across Quebec. The core Tel-jeunes service provides 24/7 access to trained professional counselors, while the Tj Forum adds a peer-to-peer anonymous discussion space. Separate but integrated parent support services extend the reach to family members. For educational environments, the Tj Toolkit and Brise-Glace Strategy provide structured resources for schools and sports organizations, with sex education training completing the educator support suite.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tel-jeunes Foundation: The philanthropic arm of Tel-jeunes that raises funds to support the organization's frontline services for teens and parents.
• LigneParents
• Ado Tj

Products and services

• Tel-jeunes Helpline (Youth Support Service) Free, confidential frontline support service for Quebec teens aged 12-17, available by phone (1-800-263-2266), text message (1-866-811-4811), and live online chat daily from 8 a.m. to midnight, delivered by trained professional counselors in psychology, counselling, and sexology.
• LigneParents (Parent Support Line) Phone (1-800-361-5085) and online chat support service specifically for parents and caregivers of adolescents in Quebec, helping them navigate teen challenges, parenting concerns, and adolescent mental health.
• TJ Forum (Peer Support Forum)

Quantifiable outcome

• 60,000 requests for help handled in 2025-2026
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Marie-Soleil DioncoreOthersActress and host serving as spokesperson since 2025. Authentic and committed voice raising awareness about youth mental health challenges. Brings empathy and understanding of adolescent realities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Jack.org: Canadian charity focused on youth mental health education, training, and advocacy. Comparable in audience (Canadian youth) and school-based programming, though focused on awareness rather than direct intervention.
• The Trevor Project: US-based crisis intervention and suicide prevention service specifically for LGBTQ+ young people. Comparable in youth-focused crisis support via phone/text/chat, but narrows the demographic lens compared to Tel-jeunes' broader 12-17 audience.

Broad incumbents

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: US national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline network. Overlaps with Tel-jeunes on crisis intervention but operates as a federally backed, national-scale incumbent rather than a youth-specialized nonprofit.
• Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA): Nationwide Canadian organization providing mental health programs, resources, and advocacy. Shares Quebec regional presence and youth mental health focus, but operates a much broader portfolio beyond crisis line services.

Direct peers

• Kids Help Phone / Jeunesse, J'écoute: Canada's national 24/7 e-mental health service for youth, offering phone, text, and chat support. Jeunesse, J'écoute is the French-language brand operating in Quebec — directly overlapping Tel-jeunes' mission, channels, and target demographic.
• Crisis Text Line: US-based 24/7 text-based crisis intervention service staffed by trained volunteers. Highly comparable in multi-channel crisis support for distressed individuals, though operating in a different geography and with a volunteer (not professional) staffing model.
• Tel-Aide: Quebec-based emotional support helpline offering confidential listening services to the general population. Comparable in delivery model (phone-based helpline) and Quebec regional footprint, though less youth-specialized than Tel-jeunes.

Regional players

• Head & Hands / À Deux Mains: Montreal-based nonprofit providing health, wellness, and support services to youth aged 12-25. Comparable in Montreal location, youth demographic, and confidential support ethos, though with a broader age range and in-person delivery mix.
• Fondation Jeunes en Tête: Quebec foundation funding mental health prevention programs for youth aged 11-18 in schools. Shares Quebec geography and youth mental health mission, and could be a partner or alternative donor channel for similar initiatives.
• Centre de prévention du suicide de Québec (CPSQ): Quebec-based suicide prevention center offering 24/7 crisis intervention, including the 1-866-APPELLE line referenced by Tel-jeunes for after-hours referrals. Directly adjacent in mission, especially given 1-in-5 of Tel-jeunes' interventions involve suicide risk assessment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSfHD1TDYRSLYS8fEnMk69Q/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/teljeunes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tel-jeunes
• Instagraminstagram.com/tel.jeunes/?hl=fr
• TikToktiktok.com/@teljeunes?lang=fr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tel-jeunes