This week, the Telco Together Foundation Board came together to hear from Gary G., CEO of ReachOut Australia, on the growing issue of how technology is impacting young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Gary also spoke to the potential for AI to be part of the solution.

Young people today are facing an increasingly uncertain future. The influence of social media, AI, and device usage on their mental health is becoming more significant, and it is an issue our industry must seek to understand and respond to in meaningful ways.

The Foundation has been a long-time supporter of ReachOut, Australia’s leading online youth mental health support program. With a youth-designed model, ReachOut is at the frontline of understanding what young people are going through and how best to support them.

We are grateful to Aussie Broadband for hosting this important session. A special thank you to Jane Betts, Aussie’s Chief People and Reputation Officer, who shared valuable insights on why addressing social issues matters to Aussie Broadband and the areas of concern they are prioritising.

Through the Foundation’s work, we are tackling the industry’s collective response to domestic and family violence, modern slavery, and technology-facilitated abuse as well as youth mental health and resilience. We are also exploring initiatives that address digital inclusion, gender equity, and climate.

These are systemic issues that no single organisation or even a single industry can solve alone. But by coming together, learning from and collaborating with experts like ReachOut, and sharing knowledge across our network, we believe the telco industry has both the responsibility and the opportunity to drive meaningful, lasting change.

To find out more about the Telco Together Foundation’s work in this space visit https://smallchangebigchange.org/