Our mission
Lean On Me strengthens communities by providing peer-to-peer text lines that allow for easy access to confidential non-crisis support. We envision a world where anyone can seek and receive emotional support.
Our chapter
Lean On Me at UCLA is a chapter of Lean On Me, which was founded at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2015. To learn more about their impact or inquire about establishing a new chapter, visit their website here.
How our hotline works
Lean On Me allows students to talk to trained peer Supporters in a convenient and anonymous setting. To learn more about our training process, please click here.
1. Text our hotline
Text the UCLA-specific hotline with whatever you’d like to talk about! This can range from brief messages such as “All of my friends are busy and I want someone to talk to” to a longer, more complex message. Our Supporters are here to listen and be there for you - the topic is your choice!
3. Receive a reply
The expected wait time is just under 5 minutes. While the service is available at any time, please remember that Supporters are your peers, who lead their own busy lives and occasionally remember to sleep. So the wait time for a conversation sent in at 4:30 AM may be longer, and we thank you for understanding that!
5. End the conversation
Conversations last for as long as you would like them to, and you can end a conversation with a Supporter at any time by texting “/bye” to the hotline. If you text again you will be matched with a new Supporter and they will not see what you wrote before.
2. Match with a Supporter
Once a text is received, all active Supporters will be informed that a request has come in, and within a few minutes you will be matched with one!
4. Have a conversation
You can now have a conversation with the Supporter! Feel free to text for as long as you like. If you ever feel uncomfortable with a Supporter text “/flag”, and we’ll match you with another! For a full list of commands, text “/help” to the hotline. Supporters never see your slash commands.
6. Provide feedback
Once a conversation ends, you will be asked to provide feedback, helping make the service better for future users. By no means is this mandatory, but we would really appreciate it. Your input will have a very real effect on the future of Lean On Me, and on changes we make to the service!
Our impact
Frequently asked questions
Meet our team
Zooey (she/her) is a junior, double majoring in History and Public Affiars. In her free time she enjoys reading, painting, cooking, and taking extremely long walks. Her favorite way to de-stress and relax is to spend time with friends and knit!
Zooey Lê-Baker
Chapter Coordinator
Justine (she/her) is a junior at UCLA and is majoring in psychology and minoring in gender studies. She previously served as a volunteer for TeenLine and the NAMI Support Line and is excited to use her hotline experience to strengthen the UCLA community! In her free time, she loves going to the gym, writing songs, and painting.
Justine Charroux
Training Coordinator
Sydney Holland
Sydney (she/her) is a fourth year studying Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental biology with a minor in Anthropology! In her free time she loves to read + run to destress as well as craft and go to concerts with her roomates. As a pre-health student, she understands and advocates for the necessity of taking a break sometimes.
Recruitment Coordinator
Maia (she/her) is from Los Angeles and is a senior majoring in Dance and Psychology with a minor in Disability Studies. She aspires to pursue a career as a Dance/Movement Therapist. As a a certified yoga instructor, yoga + movement are her favorite practices for relaxation and stress relief.
Maia Driz-Diaz
Supporting Coordinator
Christina (she/her) is from New Jersey and is a junior majoring in Economics and minoring in Asian American Studies and English. In her free time she loves to play tennis, watch mystery shows/movies, thrift, and find good matcha spots.
Christina Ahn
Finance Coordinator