Young people sharing mental health stories and creating change
In partnership with batyr, we’ve launched OurHerd - designed by and for young people to empower them to share stories of lived experience and create positive change.
In partnership with batyr, opens in a new tab, we’ve launched OurHerd - a first-of-its-kind mental health app designed by and for young people to empower them to share stories of lived experience and create positive change.
Sadly, suicide continues to be the leading cause of death for young Australians, with 80% of occurrences in those aged 15-17(1). And, of the 25% of 14 – 24-year-olds living with a diagnosed mental illness, it’s understood that the social, economic and health impacts of COVID-19 have only made things harder.(2)
What we do know, is that young people are turning to technology for mental health support, with the latest data indicating that the internet is the third most common source of support for psychological distress, following friends and family. Despite this, only 4% of wellbeing apps are designed for young people, and none of these apps focus on improving mental health literacy, indicating a missed opportunity for early intervention and prevention.(3)
In response, we’ve partnered with batyr to support OurHerd, a first-of-its-kind mental health app, empowering young people to share stories of their lived experience with mental health.
Designed in collaboration with over 1,600 young people, the app guides users to relevant mental health content while capturing modern insights on young people and their mental health. batyr hopes to use these insights to influence decision-making from government, policymakers, service providers, educational institutions and workplaces relating to youth mental health.
The app provides a platform for young people, aged between 14 - 30 years, to listen, share and be heard among like-minded peers navigating their own mental health journey. The app is moderated, to ensure a safe space for young people to learn pathways to access support as well as self-care practices they can incorporate into their everyday lives.
The aim of OurHerd is to help users confidently communicate their experiences, support positive mental health conversations and help to reduce the stigma associated with asking for help.
We’ve supported batyr since 2020, and in addition to OurHerd, funded 30 new batyr@uni programs, opens in a new tab designed to support the unique mental health needs of international students during the pandemic.
Find out more about our partnership with batyr or download the OurHerd app, opens in a new tab today.
References
(1) https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/causes-death/causes-death-australia/latest-release, opens in a new tab
(2) https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/mental-health/national-study-mental-health-and-wellbeing/latest-release, opens in a new tab
(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7275252/, opens in a new tab
International students to receive mental health education during COVID-19
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