The Lady Gaga-founded Born This Way Foundation and Jack.org have partnered to launch an online course called the Be There Certificate to help young people increase their mental health awareness and knowledge.
The Be There Certificate is a free, digital, self-paced learning experience designed to increase mental health literacy and provide youth with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to safely support anyone who may be struggling with their mental health.
The Be There Certificate involves making your way through six interactive learning modules that include videos and real life scenarios. It takes less than two hours to complete and is available in English, French and Spanish.
People interested in taking the course to receive the Be There Certificate can log in here.
The Be There Certificate will teach users:
- how to recognize signs of struggle;
- what to say to start the conversation;
- how to build trust and offer practical support;
- tips to become a better listener;
- the importance of setting healthy boundaries;
- how to help someone access professional and community resources;
- and how to maintain your own mental health.
The research behind the Be There Certificate is based on a needs assessment of more than 1,200 youth. It compiled the 73 most common questions heard from young people and scoured dozens of websites, blogs, articles and other resources to find the answers.
Those who’ve completed the course can download and print a PDF file of the Be There Certificate.
Born This Way Foundation — co-founded and led by singer, musician and actress Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta — supports the mental health of young people and works with them to build a kinder and braver world through high-impact programming, youth-led conversations and strategic, cross-sectoral partnerships,
Donations to the Born This Way Foundation can be made here.
Jack.org is Canada’s only charity that trains and empowers young leaders to revolutionize mental health. Through programs such as Jack Talks, Jack Chapters and Jack Summits, young leaders can identify and dismantle barriers to positive mental health in their communities.
Donations to Jack.org can be made here.