As part of its commitment to fostering a positive and safe community, TikTok is marking World Mental Health Awareness Day this Friday with an exclusive livestream performance from Australian singer songwriter, Guy Sebastian.
Live on Tuesday 5 October, 7pm AEDT on TikTok, Sebastian will perform an intimate rendition of his top ten ARIA single ‘Standing With You’ from his latest album T.R.U.T.H., which was inspired by his experiences with people close to him struggling with depression during the global pandemic.
Sebastian will also be joined by TikTok star JasmineTxo and his brother, recent winner of The Voice, Chris Sebastian, to discuss personal experiences and tips for managing stress and anxiety during uncertain times. As part of the livestream, the TikTok community will be invited to ask questions, share their stories using the hashtag #standingwithyou and donate, with all proceeds going to The Sebastian Foundation.
Sebastian said: “The pandemic has had an impact on all of our lives and has caused extra stress and hardship to everyone. I wrote ‘Standing With You’ when I was personally feeling very anxious, just before the COVID-19-related travel bans happened all around the world.
“The song is about saying we’re all in this together and to encourage everyone to look after themselves and one another during this difficult time. For me, there’s no better place to express this and talk about the all important subject of mental health than on TikTok, where the community is so strong and Aussies feel comfortable and confident to be their true authentic selves.”
In addition to the livestream, TikTok has launched in-app mental health resources for Australian users. The platform has also partnered with leading not-for-profits and inspiring TikTok creators to amplify content that provides hope, connection and support to its users.
“Now more than ever, it’s time to support one another and stay connected. Putting mental health first, we want to help make sure that no one in our community feels alone, or without the information, support and help they need,” said Lee Hunter, General Manager of TikTok Australia and New Zealand. “We are delighted to partner with Guy to bring this important message and sense of community to life through music and real, honest conversation on the app.”
Throughout October, TikTok is also sharing information about mental health in the Discover tab, showcasing helpful, practical videos and not-for-profit organisations working to support people. These efforts are designed to help the TikTok community learn about the mental health resources available from partners externally and also in-app. Content from organisations including Batyr, LivingWorks, RUOK? and Orygen is being featured and Australian TikTok creators including @MDMotivator are sharing practical and supportive videos, offering a community-led resource to help foster meaningful conversations and learn about this critical topic.
To help people find support easily and quickly, TikTok has added off-platform resources to its Safety Centre and in-app contacts to Lifeline and Kids Helpline, leading charities offering Australians experiencing a personal crisis access to 24 hour support services.
TikTok is committed to the mental health and wellbeing of its users and will continue to invest in the technology, partnerships and resources to support the TikTok community.
