Frequently asked questions
What ages do you provide counselling for?
We counsel children aged 5- 15 years who attend a Cambridge public school.
Where do you do the counselling?
We counsel students in their familiar school environment, making it easier for whānau with students in different schools to be seen and counselled. However, we can also provide counselling at our counselling room in Cambridge if requested.
How much does it cost?
We provide free counselling to children from 13 different schools in the Cambridge area. We do not receive any funding so rely on donations from our local community and we fundraise to provide these services.
Why we do need to offer these services?
The need for a counselling service is steadily increasing in our community. Societal changes mean many children are now exposed to an increasing range of issues, including bullying, abuse, and family issues. Children often do not have the skills to deal with these issues. Cambridge Lifeskills aims to offer counselling, support, and encouragement so that children/young people can work through these issues.
Why is my child being referred to another service?
We do routinely refer students to other more appropriate services to ensure that they and their families receive the support that is best in both the short term and longer term. Please don’t be offended if we refer you on, we want what is best for your child and sometimes that is not Lifeskills.
I think you provide an amazing service for our local children – how can I help?
There are a few ways you can help us to continue doing this, particularly as the demand continues to grow.
Make a one-off donation
Join Club 83 and make an $83 per month donation – less than the cost of a flat white a day. This will enable us to provide counselling support for a student and is 100% tax deductible.
Get in touch with us with your fundraising idea and we can help you get started.
Make a contribution to your child's counselling session.
Can you recommend a private counsellor outside of school?
If your young person would like to see a private counsellor outside of school, please contact us for advice and suggestions to suit their individual needs.
Email us or call 021 190 1760 and leave a message and one of the team will get back to asap.
I have an idea for a great fund raiser – how can I make this happen?
We're all ears at Cambridge Lifeskills, so if you've got a great idea for fundraising, or you'd like to volunteer to help with one of our fundraising events – we'd love to have you on board, contact Sandy.
Do you receive any funding to provide these services?
No. We rely solely on the generosity of our local communities, grants, and our fund-raising efforts.