Maybelline Expands Mental Health Training for Gen Z

This Suicide Prevention Month, Maybelline New York is expanding its free global mental health training program, Brave Talk.

Initially launched on college campuses in 2022 and developed in partnership with The Jed Foundation (JED) – a leading national nonprofit that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults – Brave Talk is now available in an online, interactive format for college-aged users and older. The updated training will further amplify Maybelline’s Brave Together mental health program, with a mission to make one-to-one support for anxiety and depression accessible to all.

To help address the nearly 60% of college students who say they received support for their mental health from a friend, the free 90-minute, expert-developed training was designed to be delivered in person by college staff to students so that they have the skills to support peers who may be struggling and help connect them to care.

“Expanding the Brave Talk training into digital spaces where schools and young people can access it freely, 24/7 is a crucial step toward addressing and protecting the mental health of teens and young adults. Together, we can make a significant difference in how well-being is understood and prioritized,” said John MacPhee, CEO, The Jed Foundation.

Helping Hands

Through the acronym (Be present; Right setting; Ask questions; Validate feelings; and Encourage action) BRAVE Talk teaches users how to start a conversation with a friend, support them and lead them to care in under 10 minutes. The animated format provides visually stimulating storytelling aimed at making complex subject matter like mental health, accessible, enjoyable and engaging, especially to the Gen Z community. Throughout the Brave Talk training, users follow three Gen Z characters as they navigate how to help a struggling friend. Along the way, users will gain helpful information and tools from the training and decide how they would approach each situation.

“At Maybelline New York, we are making support easily accessible to all. Through the digitized version of Brave Talk, we are able to do just that – providing the tools needed to spark a conversation and help those struggling get the support they need, all at no cost,” said Trisha Ayyagari, global brand president, Maybelline New York. “Since launching the Brave Together program, we have helped over 1.65 million people access free, one-to-one professional support in over 34 countries and we are looking forward to helping even more through this new online Brave Talk format.”

Through the Brave Together program, Maybelline New York has a goal of helping 10 million people access one-to-one mental health support and donating $20 million to this cause by 2030.

To access the new Brave Talk digital training go here.