Q: The XM Group is known for the Corporate Social Responsibility programs it implements, both in Cyprus and abroad, which bring significant benefits to people and communities. We recently learned about a new partnership agreement between the XM Group and the international humanitarian organization Hope For Children CRC Policy Centre. What are the main objectives of this partnership?
A: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak about this important partnership between the XM Group and Hope For Children. The health and well-being of children are among the fundamental pillars upon which our approach to Corporate Social Responsibility is based. Children are the future of every community and of the entire planet, which is why we must protect them and help them reach their full potential. The choice of the Hope For Children organization for this partnership was not random. We are all familiar with the organization’s multifaceted work to protect and support vulnerable children, as well as the recognition it has received from the relevant authorities in Cyprus and abroad.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
1466: A valuable helpline to support children and families
Our partnership with Hope For Children, of course, has been in place for six years—the same number of years that the 1466 Helpline has been operating. The XM Group has consistently funded the technical infrastructure of this service, which is staffed 24 hours a day by specialist psychologists, social workers, and legal advisors from the Organization, who provide free counseling and guidance. When necessary, the operators at the 1466 call center can contact the relevant authorities and services to intervene, always with the child’s safety, well-being, and best interests in mind.
Q: How many calls are made on average to the 1466 Helpline?
A: According to data from Hope For Children, 1,098 calls have been made to 1466 since the beginning of the year, averaging 34 calls per week. The majority of callers are children and young people, aged thirteen to seventeen, who are often victims of violence and bullying within their families or at school. The remaining calls come from parents concerned about their children and from perpetrators seeking help.
Q: What are the most common reasons why children and young people turn to the 1466 Helpline?
A: The main reasons children and young people call 1466, aside from bullying and domestic violence, are emotional difficulties following their parents’ divorce and a change of residence, or following the loss of a loved one, domestic violence, school bullying, suicidal tendencies, and other psychosocial and legal problems. Parents also frequently call seeking guidance on how to deal with their children’s uncontrollable or aggressive behavior.
Q: Beyond telephone counseling, what is offered next to the children and families who call 1466?
A: Psychological support from specialists at the Hope For Children Organization can continue with free sessions for both the child and the entire family, if they so desire. The XM Group is funding the restoration of a historic building in the Agios Andreas neighborhood of Nicosia, which will house the XM Child and Family Counseling Center.
The new building will provide an ideal environment for continuing the psychological, social, and legal support already offered free of charge to children and adults who call 1466 to address cases of abuse, neglect, school and cyberbullying (bullying/grooming), as well as for guidance on child protection issues. It is estimated that once the building is completed, the Counseling Center will be able to serve up to 500 children and families each year.
Q: Tell us about the anti-school-bullying campaign currently underway. Why did you decide to produce the TV spots, and what is the goal of the campaign?
A: The XM Group has a broad partnership with the Hope For Children Organization, in addition to providing financial support for the 1466 Helpline and the XM Child and Family Counseling Center. The campaign to combat school bullying is titled “Every Bully Has Their Own Story” and is based on real-life bullying incidents. Statistics from the Hope For Children Organization show an increase in such incidents, which is why our campaign aims to encourage parents, teachers, children, young people, and society as a whole to reflect on the underlying causes of a child’s aggressive behavior, so that they may ask themselves what is happening in the child’s daily life that drives them to extreme behaviors, and how those around them can help.
Bullying is a serious social problem, and this campaign highlights the urgent need to address the causes that lead some children to become either bullies or victims of bullying. Children deserve our attention and care so that they can grow into well-adjusted adults and realize their dreams. The XM Group invests in Corporate Social Responsibility programs focused on children’s health and well-being, aiming for a long-term and significant social impact.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xmculture
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xmculture/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@xmculture
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@XMCulture
