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Real People, Real Talk: Youth Mental Health Matters

Image of the UN Youth Office campaign for Youth Mental Health and Well-being. The banner reads "Real People Real Talk" and "Youth Mental Health Matters" against a black background with multicolored shapes next to the text.

A global youth-led conversation on mental health

Prevention and shared responsibility must define the next generation of mental health action — grounded in care, connection and community. This means not only expanding support and treatment, but also addressing root factors that are often systemic and overlooked. We must co-create a culture of care where every young person feels safe, supported and able to thrive.

 

A card showing a graphic that describes how there has been a 30% increase in anxiety and depression among young people caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A graphic describing how 1 in 2 people will be affected by a mental health disorder during their life. The graphic is set against a yellow and pink gradient.
A graphic against a purple and white gradient that describes that over 1 billion people are estimated to be living with a mental health disorder

Young people today are navigating unprecedented challenges — from economic uncertainty, climate emergencies, armed conflict, social injustice and a harmful digital culture. These forces have a profound impact on youth mental health and well-being. Mental health challenges represent a fast-rising global emergency, impacting nearly one in eight people worldwide. Young people bear a disproportionate burden, with 1 in 7 individuals aged 10–19 living with a mental health condition and most mental health disorders emerging by age 24. Suicide remains a leading cause of death among youth globally. The burden is even heavier in low- and middle-income countries, where access to mental health support is often limited.

Web graphic showing how various aspects of life are all connected to Youth Mental Health and Well-being.

What shapes mental health?

Re-thinking youth mental health means re-imagining the world in which young people grow, learn, work and connect. Governance, education, decent work and secure housing shape opportunity and stability. Peaceful and just societies and intergenerational dialogue create the conditions for hope and healing. Digital spaces, climate realities and community life influence identity and belonging. Sports, art, culture and spirituality foster resilience, expression and meaning.

Promoting youth well-being requires a holistic and locally adaptable approach that strengthens these interconnected systems. By investing in the ecosystems surrounding young people, we co-create a culture of care and uphold every young person’s right not only to survive, but to thrive with dignity, connection and hope.

Our north star values

Every young person deserves care, connection and community — not labels or stigma. Mental health is about how we live, learn and belong, not just how we treat illness.

A generation cannot thrive when its well-being is neglected. And the world young people are building depends on how well they are supported to thrive, in body, mind and spirit.

Young people’s mental health is not a side issue — it is the foundation for peace, prosperity and sustainable development. Protecting youth mental health is essential to achieving peace, equality and the SDGs.

Just as roads connect cities, empathy connects societies. When young people feel safe and seen, everything else becomes possible.

Our collective responsibility is to create the social, economic and environmental conditions that allow youth to flourish and lead us to a better future. Young people deserve environments — at home, in schools, online and in their communities — that nurture purpose, creativity and resilience.

Real People, Real Allies

Artists, athletes, creators and supporters standing with young people to amplify real stories and expand the narrative on youth mental health and well-being.

Aisha Bowe posed with her arms crossed against a green and blue gradient.

Aisha Bowe

Former NASA Aerospace Engineer, Blue Origin Astronaut, Entrepreneur she/her/hers Aisha Bowe is a former NASA aerospace engineer, entrepreneur, and…
Amira Mourtaday in a lab coat with a stethoscope around her neck against a purple and pink gradient.

Amira Mourtaday

Medical student & Content Creator she/her/hers Amira is a Moroccan medical student and a health educator, known for creating lifestyle, sport and…
Daniel Amokachi running against a pink, yellow and purple gradient

Daniel Amokachi

Nigerian and African Football Legend he/him/his Daniel Amokachi is a Nigerian football legend, Olympian and global sports ambassador whose career…
Diego Forlan wearing a blue Unicef shirt against a purple and white gradient background.

Diego Forlán

UNICEF Uruguay Ambassador he/him/his Diego Fórlan is a Uruguayan Ex-Footballer with a featured international trajectory and one of the biggest…
Gilberto Silva holding a football trophy against a pink gradient.

Gilberto Silva

Ex-footballer & Entrepreneur he/him/his Gilberto Silva is a World Cup-winning Brazilian footballer best known for anchoring Brazil’s midfield in 2002…
Juan Diego Flórez, wearing a blue suit and looking upwards against a blue and white gradient.

Juan Diego Flórez

Internationally acclaimed tenor and founder of Sinfonía por el Perú he/him/his Juan Diego Flórez is an internationally acclaimed Peruvian tenor and…
Action shot of football player, Maca Sanchez, running against a green and blue gradient.

Maca Sánchez

First Female Argentinian Professional Footballer she/her/hers First female professional footballer from Argentina, activist for the rights of women…
Manizha Talash breakdancing against a blue gradient.

Manizha Talash

First Afghan Female Breakdancer | Paris 2024 Olympian she/her/hers My name is Manizha Talash, known as B-Girl Talash, a bgirl and Paris 2024 Olympian…
Pops Mensah Bonsu looking forward and holding a basketball with his right hand against a yellow and orange gradient.

Pops Mensah Bonsu

Former NBA Player and Olympian, President of SEED Academy Ghana, and Adapt2Win Champion he/him/his Pops Mensah-Bonsu is a British-Ghanaian former NBA…
Tim Payne looking forward against a purple and white gradient.

Tim Payne

New Zealand International Footballer he/him/his Tim Payne is a professional footballer who proudly represented New Zealand at the 2026 FIFA World Cup…
TomorrowXTogether, a group of 5 people, wearing black suits and looking forward, against a red and white gradient.

TOMORROW X TOGETHER

K-POP’s ever-evolving artists, who is also the “Global Campaign Partner” of UNICEF, supporting mental health and well-being of youth worldwide. he/him…
Younès Nezar running against a yellow and orange gradient.

Younès Nezar

Athlete, Creator & Engineer he/him/his Younès Nezar is a 100m sprinter (ranked among France's top 20 in 2025) and a former elite judoka. An engineer…

Join the global movement

At its core, Real People, Real Talk shifts the narrative from isolated solutions to a more holistic understanding of mental health — one that connects care, community and connection with structural change. By sparking a global conversation that expands how mental health is understood and addressed, we are elevating both personal experiences and the broader systemic factors that influence well-being, particularly for young people from diverse backgrounds and in challenging contexts.

Share your perspectives, stories and creative expressions and connect your personal experience to broader systems that influence mental health and well-being using the hashtag, #RealPeopleRealTalk.

 

CREATE AND SHARE YOUR CONTRIBUTION:
  • Pick a card, respond to a prompt, and record a short video or share a photo on Instagram or TikTok with your "Real People, Real Talk" story.
  • Take the conversation offline — use the cards to open up real conversations with the people in your life, at home, at school or in your community, and tell us about it!
Graphic that says "Your Story" against a orange and yellow gradient.
  • What does a good day feel like for you, and when did you last have one?
  • What was a moment in your life when you felt truly supported? What made it possible?
  • What is a piece of advice that has stayed with you?
  • Does the place where you live affect how you feel? In what way?
  • What did you learn about mental health growing up — and what do you wish you had learned?
  • What was a time when you felt like you truly belonged somewhere? What was that like?
  • What is something you carry quietly that many people around you might not know about?
  • Was there a time you asked for help or wanted to? What made you do it — or stop you from doing it?
  • What is one thing you are grateful for right now?
  • If your emotions today were the weather, what would they look like?
A graphic reading "Your World" against a green, yellow, and blue gradient.
  • What is one thing the world gets wrong about young people's mental health?
  • Is your school, workplace or neighbourhood supporting your well-being? How could these spaces be improved to promote mental health and well-being?
  • Does your government treat your mental health as a priority? How can you tell?
  • How do online activities affect how you feel?
  • Has climate change ever made you feel anxious, hopeless or overwhelmed? How so?
  • If mental health support was truly free and easy to access, what would you do first?
  • What system — education, work, housing, something else — has affected your well-being the most? How so?
  • Do you feel safe where you live? What would make you feel safer?
  • What does "decent work" mean to you — and do you have it?
  • Is there something happening in the world right now that is affecting your mental health?
A graphic saying "Your People" against a blue and purple gradient.
  • Who is the person you can always call, no matter what? Do they know that?
  • What does care look like in your community — and who tends to give it? Who tends to receive it?
  • Have you ever supported someone through a mental health struggle? What did you learn?
  • Is there someone in your life you are worried about but have not said anything to yet? If so, what has kept you from speaking to them?
  • What is a compliment you'll never forget?
  • Do the people around you talk openly about how they are really feeling?
  • Who taught you what it means to take care of yourself? What did they show you?
  • Have you ever felt alone in a room full of people? What was happening at the time?
  • What would it mean for your community to truly have a "culture of care"? What could this look like in practice?
  • Who is someone in your life that can always make you feel better?
The words "Your Future" against a pink, yellow, and purple gradient.
  • What would a world that genuinely prioritized young people's well-being look like to you?
  • What gives you hope right now — even a small thing?
  • If you could change one thing about how your country or community handles mental health, what would it be?
  • What is one thing you’re still figuring out?
  • Is there something, like a hobby or activity, you have stopped doing that you know would be good for you? What would it take to start again?
  • What would you tell your younger self about getting through hard times? What have you learned over time?
  • What's one thing your younger self would be excited to know about your life today?
  • If mental health were taught in every school in the world, what would be the first lesson you would want in the curriculum?
  • What does a fair world look like to you — and how far are we from it?
  • What is one small act of care you could offer someone right now?

Mental Health Resources

The following resources can help individuals access emotional support, crisis services, mental health information, and self-help materials around the world.

  • – Search for emotional support, crisis lines, suicide prevention services, and mental health helplines by country, region, and type of support.
  • – International directory of suicide prevention and crisis support resources.
  • – Global network of emotional support and suicide prevention services.
  • – Free, confidential crisis support via text message (available in English and Spanish).

  • – Information and resources to support mental health and well-being.
  • – Practical strategies and tools for managing stress and emotional challenges.
  • – Guidance for communities, organizations, and advocates working to prevent suicide.
  • – Information on supporting mental well-being in workplace settings.

 

  • – Global mental health information, support resources, and advocacy tools.
  • – Educational materials, support tools, and mental health resources.

  • – Information and resources focused on youth mental health awareness and support.
  • – Resources and initiatives promoting youth mental health worldwide.
  • – Support, information, and guidance for teenagers, young adults, and caregivers.

These resources are provided for informational purposes and to help connect people with support. Availability may vary by country, region, and language.

 

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact your local emergency services immediately.

 

For country-specific emotional support and crisis services, we recommend starting with FindaHelpline, which can help connect individuals to local support options around the world.

#RealPeopleRealTalk: Join a global movement rooted in care, community and connection

Share your contribution in any language on any public platform using #RealPeopleRealTalk and be part of a growing, global movement for youth mental health and well-being.

 

Contributions will be aggregated and featured on UN Youth Affairs platforms.