Southcentre Mall’s back-to-school activation in Centre Court. Photo: Southcentre Mall
The start of a new school year can bring a mix of excitement and nerves, and Southcentre Mall is using that moment to point young people toward help if they need it. The mall is partnering with Kids Help Phone this back-to-school season to raise awareness of the organization's free, confidential support line — timed to a period when demand for the service tends to climb as kids adjust to new schedules, coursework, and friend groups.
As part of the partnership, Southcentre is hosting "The First Day Starts Here" in the mall's Centre Court, an activation where visitors can write a note to their future selves or a loved one. Those notes will be held onto and mailed back to their writers in June 2027, giving them a chance to look back on the year that shaped them.
The need behind the campaign is backed by real numbers: Kids Help Phone says overnight requests for support in Alberta jumped 29 per cent in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year, a trend showing up across the country. Text-based support requests overnight, between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. ET, are up 183 per cent compared to daytime requests.
"Many young people are reaching out to us during the darkest hours of the night, when support can feel hardest to find," said Ava Waugh, Senior Development Officer with the Kids Help Phone Foundation. She said partnerships like this one help more young people learn that support is available whenever they need it, especially during high-stress periods like back-to-school season.
The mall has previously built out other youth-focused initiatives, including a free sensory backpack program for kids with sensory processing disabilities, along with 24/7 security and on-request vehicle escorts.
"Southcentre is a place where Calgary connects, and we believe that means creating space for conversations that matter to our community," said Alexandra Velosa, Marketing Manager at Southcentre Mall.
Southcentre will also host its annual back-to-school drive-in movie night on September 12, with proceeds going to Kids Help Phone.
