Black People United for Change Listens: A Safe Space to Be Heard

Black People United for Change Listens was created to meet a growing and urgent need for accessible, compassionate, and culturally responsive emotional support. Launched in the latter part of 2025, our platform was built on the understanding that many individuals—particularly those impacted by anti-Black racism often struggle to find mental and emotional support spaces where they feel truly heard, understood, and safe.

We are a non-profit organization incorporated in Ontario, and our mission is simple yet powerful: to provide a safe, confidential, and supportive space where people can openly talk, process their emotions, and feel supported without judgment or clinical pressure. Since our launch, we have supported many individuals through moments of stress, grief, isolation, crisis, and emotional overwhelm, helping them feel less alone and more connected to care.

What We Offer: Emotional Support, Not Therapy

Black People United for Change Listens provides emotional support, which is different from counselling, psychotherapy, or psychiatric care. Understanding these differences can help people choose the type of support that best meets their needs.

• Emotional Support focuses on empathetic listening, validation, and human connection. It is non-clinical and does not involve diagnosis or treatment. Emotional support helps individuals feel heard, grounded, and supported in the moment.

• Counselling is typically provided by licensed professionals such as social workers or counsellors and involves structured sessions to work through challenges, build coping skills, and address emotional or behavioural concerns.

• Psychotherapy is a more in-depth, clinical process that may involve long-term treatment, therapeutic models, and formal mental health assessments to address complex or ongoing mental health concerns.

• Psychiatric Help is provided by medical doctors (psychiatrists) and may include diagnosis, medication management, and treatment of mental health disorders.

Our role is not to replace clinical services, but to complement them. Emotional support can be a vital first step, a bridge while waiting for therapy, or an ongoing source of support alongside professional care.

Trained, Certified, and Community-Focused Volunteers

All of our volunteers are certified and fully trained to provide high-quality emotional support. Training requirements include:

• safeTALK

• Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) through LivingWorks

• Psychological First Aid through the Canadian Red Cross

In addition to these certifications, our volunteers receive training in culturally responsive service delivery, with a strong emphasis on understanding the emotional and psychological impacts of anti-Black racism. While supporting individuals affected by anti-Black racism is a primary focus of our work, our platform is open and welcoming to everyone in need of emotional support.

Accessible, Remote, and Confidential Support

Black People United for Change Listens is fully remote and accessible, offering an interactive virtual platform that allows individuals to connect with trained volunteers by phone, video, or chat. This flexibility removes barriers such as transportation, location, cost, and stigma, making support easier to access when it’s needed most.

We also assist individuals who are having difficulty navigating community systems by providing resource referrals and information tailored to their unique needs, helping them connect with additional supports beyond our platform.

Everyone Is Welcome

Whether you are experiencing stress, loneliness, racial trauma, grief, or simply need someone to talk to, you are welcome here. Our emotionally supportive channel is open daily, and our volunteers are available to listen with care, respect, and compassion.

You can connect with us by visiting our emotional support channel at:👉 https://tawk.to/chat/6918d00cbc823c195a338e5a/1ja4epce0

Or by calling:📞 (647) 247-9962

At Black People United for Change Listens, we believe that everyone deserves to be heard, and that meaningful change begins with connection, empathy, and community.