ReachOut and the Telstra Foundation are proving that AI can be built safely, and for good. The organisations have together developed Ask ReachOut, an AI tool that gives young people across Australia a safe place to share their mental health concerns and guides them to further support.
With many young people valuing the immediate and tailored feedback of AI tools and relying on AI in so many different areas of their lives, ReachOut CEO Gary Groves said it was important to offer them a purpose-built, safe option.
"We know that young people face a range of barriers when it comes to accessing mental health support and many are already asking general-purpose AI tools for mental health guidance. So, together with the Telstra Foundation, we set about adding to the range of support we offer young people by custom-building an AI tool to meet their changing needs in a responsible way,” he said.
Ask ReachOut is anonymous, free and available 24/7 on the organisation's website, along with a range of other support options.
Unlike general-purpose AI tools Ask ReachOut does not scrape the internet but relies on ReachOut’s more than 600 evidence-informed resources to offer direct answers to young people, who can ask mental health and wellbeing questions in their own words. The tool was co-designed by young people and clinical experts, with each conversation filtered through a layer of safety rules and guardrails. Since launching, Ask ReachOut has facilitated 16,000 conversations.
"Some of the dangers of general-purpose AI come from the tools lacking boundaries. Ask ReachOut will never act as a companion AI, it doesn’t store conversational history and will never provide a therapy-like experience. It's designed to support, inform and then encourage the user to connect with human care," ReachOut Clinical Lead Linda Williams said.
Ask ReachOut was born out of a long-term, flagship partnership between ReachOut and the Telstra Foundation, a charity committed to empowering young people to thrive in the digital world.
Groves said the Foundation’s backing was fundamental to building the capability behind the tool.
“The Telstra Foundation partnership was critical to bringing together technology, clinicians and experts to get this AI tool right. After years working together, that depth of trust to innovate is the reason we can meet young people where they are with this AI tool,” he said.
"There's a real responsibility when introducing AI into mental health. Innovation can't come at the expense of safety - we've prioritised backing something that carefully balances both, with strong safeguards and human oversight embedded throughout," Telstra Foundation CEO Jackie Coates said.
ReachOut has been providing digital mental health support for young people across Australia for over 27 years. Young people can access Ask ReachOut, peer support, tips, stories and resources at ReachOut.com.
Media contact
Tessa Mithieux / tessa@reachout.com / 0411 708 587
About ReachOut
ReachOut is the leading online mental health service in Australia supporting young people during tough times.
ReachOut helps young people feel better about today and the future, no matter what challenge they're facing. They provide a safe place where young people can openly express themselves, explore what's happening in their lives, connect with people who understand their situation, and find the resources to help them manage their challenges now and in the future.
Anonymous, free and 100% online, ReachOut has been designed specifically for – and with – young people. From one-to-one support from experienced peer workers, to tips, stories and resources, ReachOut offers a wide range of support options that allow young people to engage in the ways they want to, when they want to, and has been doing so for more than 20 years.
About the Telstra Foundation
Backed by Telstra for more than two decades, the Telstra Foundation is an Australian charity that’s part of a movement to make Australia one of the best places in the world for children & young people to go online.
By 2030, it aims to empower 1 million children & young people to thrive in safe, inclusive digital spaces and to shape their own futures.
The Foundation works with leading community stakeholders to improve children and young peoples’ online safety and wellbeing, their digital skills and their access to essential digital services. To read more about the organisation’s plans, team and partners, visit www.telstrafoundation.com
