Born This Way Foundation and Cotton On say that the donations are made through the Kindness in Community Fund, which among the largest funding efforts to provide direct support for youth mental health across the world.

From nominations to the initial review to selecting the shortlist, all the way to the final selection, young people in each region were engaged at each step, ensuring their input and perspectives were central to the decision-making process and reflecting their genuine needs and priorities in mental health, says the duo.

The foundation and Cotton On say that the Kindness in Community Fund grantees span a wide range of focus areas, including: 

  • direct mental health service providers
  • arts and culture
  • youth leadership and development
  • education
  • sports and recreation, and
  • more.

By offering up to USD$150 000 per organisation, the duo says that it enables services that respond to the top themes young people hoped to address in their regions, including: 

  • culturally competent services
  • LGBTQ+ rights and advocacy
  • gender-based violence support
  • de-stigmatising mental health, and
  • migrant and refugee community care.

According to the foundation and Cotton On, the fund offers a comprehensive approach that connects young people with a wide range of free, accessible resources and opportunities to support themselves and their peers.

The Born This Way Foundation and Cotton On say that the South African beneficiaries are:

  • Community Keepers
  • Khululeka Grief Support
  • Lefika La Phodiso
  • Little Lions Child Coaching
  • PHOLA SANA, and
  • Waves for Change.

"It was my daughter's and my vision to be able to act on the research and thousands of conversations we've had with young people globally, where youth have asked for responsive services and programmes that meet their needs and support their mental health and whole wellbeing," says Cynthia Germanotta, president and co-founder of Born This Way Foundation.

"Thanks to partners like Cotton On, Born This Way Foundation is able to scale the important work of the 2024 Kindness in Community Fund grant recipients as they support youth mental health and uplift their communities," adds Germanotta.

Reflecting Born This Way Foundation's mission and collaborative strategy from its founding over a decade ago, the vetting criteria required Kindness in Community Fund grantees to be focussed on young people, be rooted in equity and inclusion and provide accessible resources to their communities, says the duo. 

The foundation approached the vetting process in partnership with mental health insights and advisory firm, Prospira Global. Furthering that spirit of partnering for impact, Born This Way Foundation and Cotton On say that they raised the funds for the grant through customer purchases of Cotton On Foundation items.

This youth-led effort underscores the power of involving young people at every step to create effective mental health support systems globally.

"Youth mental health is a great passion of mine as this area is so often overlooked and there is so much potential to make a meaningful difference," says Nomzamo Mbatha, Cotton On Foundation ambassador.

"Supporting the mental health of our youth is crucial because a healthy mind is the key to a fulfilled future. By empowering young people with the resources and support they need, we invest in the well-being and resilience of the next generation," adds Mbatha.

"Something that inspired me about the nominated organisations was how many of them focussed on supporting marginalised communities such as LGBTQ+ young people, youth living in rural and remote communities and Indigenous youth," says Nikoletta Apostolidis, Born This Way Foundation advisory board member, who assisted in the selection process alongside other young people.

"It was also inspiring to see how the nominated organisations were youth-led. Youth-led initiatives support young people to be active in decision-making processes, programmes and interventions that directly impact their lives. Youth-led organisations are not only helpful in understanding the needs, interests and concerns of young people, but can also help to bolster the leadership skills, collaborative capacity and confidence of young people emerging as leaders in their communities," says Apostolidis.

"We are proud to collaborate with Born This Way Foundation in supporting these remarkable organisations," says Sarah Spiker, head of global projects for Cotton On Foundation. "Through the Kindness in Community Fund, our team and customers are contributing to the global effort to prioritise mental health and build resilient communities."

"Together with our team and customers, we are proud to have now raised over AUD$10-0million to support mental health organisations. We are delighted to partner with Born This Way Foundation's Kindness in Community grants, which will directly impact over 75 000 young people with access to mental health support services, putting youth-led solutions at the heart of building kind, brave communities globally," says Tim Diamond, general manager of the Cotton On Foundation. 

Despite the crucial need for investment, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that mental health comprises only around 2% of global health funding and just 0.5% of philanthropic health funding. With organisations sharing that they often struggle to secure consistent funding, this investment is crucial, says the duo.

The recipient organisations have shared their experiences and challenges directly with many sharing that the grant will help them provide resources to more people, recruit staff members and expand their impact in their communities, says Born This Way Foundation and Cotton On.

Cotton On Foundation and Born This Way Foundation conclude that its Kindness in Community Fund recipients include several organisations throughout:

  • Australia
  • Brazil
  • Hong Kong
  • Malaysia
  • New Zealand
  • South Africa
  • Singapore
  • Thailand
  • the United Kingdom, and
  • the United States. 

For more information, visit www.channelkindness.org. You can follow Born This Way Foundation's Channel Kindness on Facebook, X, or on Instagram.

*Image courtesy of contributor