Ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10 October, Snapchat has enhanced its mental health resources for young people with the addition of seven new short-form videos to its ‘Here For You Australia’ portal, brought to life via headspace and ReachOut.
Developed by youth mental health organisations headspace and ReachOut, these new videos are designed to provide relatable and accessible support to connect young people across Australia with local mental health resources.
Here For You Australia is accessible directly within the Snapchat app via the Search function and serves as an in-app support system, offering expert-backed resources when Snapchatters search for a range of mental health-related topics.
The seven new videos cover a range of important mental health and well-being topics relevant to young people across the country including managing depression, how to check in with a mate, dealing with stressful situations and more.
Each piece of content is crafted to resonate with young people, offering accessible insights and directing them to local support services like headspace and ReachOut should they identify with the content or require further assistance.
“At Snapchat, the health and well-being of our community is our top priority. We understand that everyone faces tough moments and it’s not always easy to know where to go for support,” Ryan Ferguson, managing director of Snap Inc. ANZ said.
“That’s why we’re expanding ‘Here For You’ on Snapchat, bringing trusted resources from partners like headspace and ReachOut directly into the app. Our goal is to make it easier for young Australians to look after their mental health, find advice that resonates, and share it with friends who might need it too,” Ferguson added.
“It’s crucial that we meet young people in the spaces where they are. These short, digestible videos available on the ‘Here For You’ platform are an incredibly effective way to help normalise conversations around mental health and continue to reduce stigma. We are proud to collaborate with Snapchat to ensure more young Australians can access the help they need, when they need it,” Vikki Ryall, chief clinical officer at headspace said.
“Having easily accessible, expert-backed mental health resources available for young people in the online spaces where they spend so much time and are often looking for mental health support is vital,” Tracey Campbell, director of marketing and fundraising at ReachOut added.
“This collaboration with Snapchat helps young people connect with the support they need during tough times and encourages further help seeking too,” Campbell added.
