Tragically, the leading cause of death among young Australians (14-25) is suicide. To tackle this issue the Inspire Foundation provides services through their flagship service, ReachOut.com, that aim to improve young people’s mental health and wellbeing, and let them know that they don’t have to go through tough times alone. To better understand how young people are talking about mental health issues, the challenges they are facing, and how they cope with issues like bullying, drug and alcohol abuse, and stress, Swainston and the team turned to social media. Read on for the inspiring results.

1. Case Study / ReachOut.com
ReachOut.com uses social media to connect
young people with mental health support and
services, and engage them in conversations
around mental health and wellbeing.
The Challenge opportunity to ensure that the new version of
ReachOut.com was reaching those who needed
Tragically, the leading cause of death among the services, not just through the new site, but
young Australians (14-25) is suicide. To tackle this through a broader multi-channel approach. To
issue the Inspire Foundation provides services better understand how young people are talking
that aim to improve young people’s mental health about mental health issues, the challenges they
and wellbeing, and let them know that they don’t are facing, and how they cope with issues like
have to go through tough times alone. Inspire bullying, drug and alcohol abuse, and stress,
delivers its flagship service, ReachOut.com, online Swainston and the team turned to social media.
because it offers young people anonymity, help Using Salesforce Radian6 to find thousands of
and support 24 hours a day, and is accessible to conversations online, they were able to gain
young Australians in remote regions. This allows valuable insight into the language that was used
them to help thousands at any one time. While to discuss these topics, as well as understand
ReachOut.com has been around since 1998, the what obstacles are preventing young people
context in which young people are growing up from getting the help they need. They were also
has changed dramatically in the last decade. able to target those young people that were very
With this in mind, the Inspire team found a need active and influential in conversations around
to adapt the way ReachOut.com was being mental health and related topics.
delivered, and to actively try and reach young
people through social channels. In order to do so “Social media has proven to be an amazing
effectively and appropriately, it was critical to gain research channel for us. We are able to learn
an understanding of the conversations that young first-hand how young people are discussing
people were having on a range of topics, and gain mental health issues, and take this information
insight into their needs. and adjust the language and messaging of our
site,” explains Swainston. “Not only this, but by
delivering the service through social channels,
The Approach we’re bringing important conversations to them,
in appropriate ways, in the spaces where they
Nathalie Swainston (Brand and Marketing already are.”
Manager) and the ReachOut.com team saw an
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2. Case Study / ReachOut.com
The Results
Using Radian6 has helped shape the content and audience better, it has also helped them to track
language that ReachOut.com uses on their newly media efforts and special projects. It has allowed
launched site and on social media channels such them to share valuable insight with their supporters
as Facebook and Twitter. They were able to use and donors, such as the fact that this past year
this research to supplement the input hundreds there’s been a 27% increase in the number of
of young people provided through a number of young people getting help from ReachOut.com,
participatory design workshops, helping to build a and that the most engaged of those users are
solution that is for young people, created with input coming from ReachOut.com’s social channels.
and direction from young people. Radian6 has
not only given the team a chance to perform cost Visit the new ReachOut.com to see the results of all
effective research and understand their target their hard work.
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