- Alexandra Whitwam - Senior Manager Campaigns and Digital Storytelling, Telstra Foundation
When Lifeline’s service design team set out to revolutionise how young Australians connect with mental health support, they knew they wanted to focus on making sure people had access to resources in a way that made sense to them.
This meant connecting with young people in the way they like to communicate — online and on their phones.
“We’ve always offered phone crisis support,” Ben Ferrari, product lead at Lifeline, says. “Then, during Covid, we expanded our reach through text and online chat services and, in 2023, launched our online Support Toolkit. Since then, we’ve been thinking about how to connect the hundreds of thousands of young people who contact us with some practical next steps towards feeling better.”
Meeting young people on their terms
For Ferrari and his team, understanding how young people prefer to communicate has been key to getting the toolkit extension project off the ground. “We know that many young people don’t have the privacy or feel comfortable making a call when they’re in crisis,” Ferrari explains. “They’re already used to texting their friends, so for us to provide support that way makes sense.”
Before the Lifeline team start building out this next phase of support services, they are directly engaging with young people to ensure the proposed approach meets their needs.
“It’s critical to hear from the people we’re trying to help,” Ferrari emphasises. “We listen to their feedback, adapt our work, and improve it based on their feedback. We want to make sure we’re not just guessing what young people need — we’re working with them to find out.”
Ongoing support for a continuing journey
One of the most powerful aspects of this new project is how it will give Lifeline crisis supporters the technology to stay connected with people long after they’ve originally spoken to them.
As the support toolkit expands its technological reach, Lifeline’s crisis supporters will have the ability to share resources with the person they’re talking to during their text, phone or online conversation. This tailored approach allows young people to have a support plan at their fingertips, and specific information relating to their problem long after the initial interaction ends.
“It’s a game changer,” Ferrari believes. “Young people will have a resource hub they can return to whenever they feel ready to engage. If someone reaches out about bullying, for example, we can send them a personalised link with resources they can access at any time. Contacting Lifeline won’t be just a one-time conversation. We’re providing access to ongoing support.”
Lifeline’s focus on staying with young Australians throughout their mental health journey is set to shape the future of how it offers crisis support. By integrating the Support Toolkit with Lifeline’s existing services, the organisation ensures that young people in crisis have the tools they need whenever they need them in a format that works.
As Ferrari reflects on the project, he’s optimistic about its impact. “Lifeline is always here to listen and support young people through tough times. But now, by connecting our 24/7 Crisis Support with the amazing resources in our Support Toolkit, we’re helping to ensure that we’re not only there when young people need us the most, but we’re helping them find the right steps to continue feeling better moving forward, too. ”
About Telstra Foundation and Lifeline Australia
The partnership between Lifeline and the Telstra Foundation aims to enhance crisis support services for Australians experiencing emotional distress. Through support Lifeline is integrating its Self-Support toolkit into its 24-hour Crisis Support Services. This initiative provides personalized resources and follow-up support to individuals in crisis, helping them navigate their path forward.
