YouTube Australia is launching a significant new mental health and wellbeing hub, specifically designed for Australian teens. This dedicated online space aims to provide crucial mental health support and credible resources for young people navigating life’s challenges.
Starting soon, this initiative means that when a teen searches for vital topics like depression, anxiety, ADHD, or eating disorders, they will find a curated collection of age-appropriate, reliable content. Instead of sifting through general videos, Australian teens will access a dedicated shelf of information from trusted sources, making it easier than ever to find the help they need.
The move comes as demand for youth mental health support online continues to grow. Mental health content has already garnered over 1.5 billion views on YouTube Australia in 2024 alone, highlighting a clear need for safe, helpful online resources. YouTube is stepping up to ensure the content consumed is genuinely beneficial and trustworthy, addressing misinformation in the digital landscape.
“When sharing mental health resources, it’s vital they are evidence-based, accessible, and tailored to the needs of those seeking support. In today’s digital landscape where misinformation can easily spread, the availability of expert-backed content is especially valuable. This aligns with growing evidence that young people actively seek mental health information online, and that safe, verified content can play an important role in increasing mental health literacy, reducing stigma, and encouraging help-seeking.” – Nicole Scott, Director of Corporate Affairs at Black Dog Institute.
To deliver this critical platform, YouTube has partnered with leading Australian mental health organizations. Collaborators include the Black Dog Institute and ReachOut Australia, alongside YouTube creator and psychiatry trainee, Dr. Syl. These partnerships guarantee that the content is not only evidence-based but also engaging and tailored for teenagers. The Black Dog Institute offers animated content simplifying complex topics, while ReachOut provides practical tips for exam stress and relationships. Dr. Syl delivers medically informed advice in a relatable style.
YouTube’s initiative for a dedicated teen mental health and wellbeing content surface aligns with the core protective aims of Australia’s recent social media regulation, specifically the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, which introduces a minimum age of 16 for certain social media platforms by December 2025.
While YouTube has sometimes contended it is not solely a “social media platform,” the law broadly aims to mitigate the risk of harm to under-16s, including exposure to content detrimental to their mental and physical health (like content promoting self-harm or disordered eating) and the negative effects of addictive design.
This proactive step from the tech company to highlight credible, evidence-based mental health resources from trusted partners like the Black Dog Institute and ReachOut Australia is a voluntary measure that supports the broader governmental objective to ensure young Australians have access to a safe online environment and beneficial health and education services. By promoting high-quality, verified content, this move offers a “Safety by Design” feature, directly addressing a key concern underpinning the new laws, which seek to hold platforms accountable for the wellbeing of their younger users.
