OK Today Launches Youth-Created Mental Health Education Platform at Global Gathering of Young Leaders
The free digital platform developed with young people equips a new generation with practical tools for mental health literacy, peer support and community action
Aug 12, 2026 9:00 AM ET
NEW YORK and GENEVA, Switzerland, August 12, 2026 /3BL/ – OK Today, a youth-driven global mental health collective, launched OK Today Talks, a new mental health education platform created by young people to help their peers build mental health literacy, strengthen peer support skills and lead more open conversations about mental health.
The platform makes its global debut at the 2026 AFS Youth Assembly, where young leaders representing more than 100 countries are among the first to experience the program and bring its tools back to their schools, workplaces and communities.
Developed with guidance from OK Today’s global Youth Advisory Board, OK Today Talks combines digital learning modules, interactive workshops and practical resources designed to help young people navigate mental health conversations with greater confidence, compassion and understanding. The platform reflects a core belief that young people should play a leading role in shaping solutions to one of the most pressing challenges facing their generation.
The launch builds on the momentum of OK Today, which was introduced at the AFS Youth Assembly in 2025 to create more opportunities for young people to connect, learn from one another, and challenge mental health stigma through peer-to-peer engagement. Over the past year, members of OK Today’s Youth Advisory Board have helped shape OK Today Talks into a practical educational experience designed to meet young people where they are and provide tools they can use in everyday life.
At the Youth Assembly, OK Today is hosting “OK Today Talks: Real Conversations, Real Tools, Real Change,” an interactive workshop led by members of its Youth Advisory Board from Italy, Pakistan, and the United States. Through guided discussions, small-group exercises, and peer learning, participants explore how mental health stigma develops, learn strategies to support themselves and others, and identify ways to create stronger, more supportive communities.
A New Approach to Youth Mental Health Education
Around the world, mental health stigma continues to prevent many young people from seeking support or talking openly about their experiences. OK Today Talks was created to provide practical, preventive education that helps young people develop the skills and confidence to support themselves and one another before a crisis occurs. The experience gives participants access to free learning resources, tools for navigating conversations about mental health and opportunities to engage with peers from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Youth Voice at the Center
“Mental health is something that touches every person, yet too many young people still grow up believing they have to struggle in silence or that asking for help makes them weak. This curriculum challenges that narrative. For too long, these conversations have either been avoided or approached only when someone is already struggling. OK Today Talks is only the beginning of thousands of conversations that have the potential to change lives.”
—Ludovica Deo, Youth Advisory Board Member, OK Today
Learn More
For more information about OK Today Talks or to join the global community, visit OKToday.org.
About OK Today
OK Today is a youth-driven global collective on a mission to transform how the world sees and talks about mental health. Founded through collaboration between youth leaders, partners, and advocates, OK Today works to reduce stigma, strengthen peer support, and create opportunities for young people to lead change in their communities. Through education, storytelling, and global engagement, OK Today is building a future where every young person feels empowered to talk openly about mental health and access support that fits their lives.
About the Global Gateway Advisors Foundation
The Global Gateway Advisors Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing initiatives that create positive social impact through communication, education and community engagement. Global Gateway Advisors, a leading New York-based strategic communications firm, established the Foundation as an outgrowth of its work in social impact, education and global citizenship. The Foundation supports organizations and changemakers working to address critical global challenges and expand access to opportunities that improve lives and strengthen communities. Through strategic partnerships, grantmaking and capacity-building, the Foundation helps mission-driven organizations amplify their impact and accelerate meaningful change.
About the AFS Youth Assembly
The AFS Youth Assembly is a global platform that cultivates an international network of young leaders and changemakers through exchange, education, action, and impact. The Assembly empowers youth to lead solutions to global challenges, including mental health, sustainability, and peace building. The Youth Assembly is organized by AFS Intercultural Programs, an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world. Learn more at https://www.youthassembly.org.
About the Partnership
OK Today Talks is a collaborative initiative between OK Today, the Global Gateway Advisors Foundation, and the AFS Youth Assembly. Together, the organizations are working to empower young people around the world with the tools, resources, and community needed to reduce mental health stigma, support their peers, and lead meaningful change through conversation, connection, and action. The global launch of OK Today Talks at the AFS Youth Assembly marks the beginning of a shared effort to make mental health education and peer support more accessible to young people everywhere.
OK Today World Mental Health Day Global Check-In
1 in 7 young people are living with a mental health condition. That’s a few people in your class. Your teammate. Your neighbor. Even someone in your family. The thing is, most people don’t bring it up. They keep it to themselves. And that silence can feel heavy. That’s why checking in matters.
OK Today is on a mission to change how the world sees and talks about mental health – starting with making everyday conversations about mental health easier.
In honor of World Mental Health Day, we’re asking young adults around the world to check-in on 1 friend, colleague or classmate – and we’re providing the tools to do it! We’re also partnering with ZenQuill, an AI-powered journaling and wellness platform, to help us check-in on ourselves through OK Today journaling prompts.
Download our World Mental Health Day Global Check-In resources!
Global Check-In Discussion Guide
Sample Post #1
Did you know 1 in 7 young people live with a mental health condition? That’s someone in your class, your team, maybe even your family. Checking in doesn’t have to be big. Send a text. Share a meme. Ask a real question. This #WorldMentalHealthDay, join us in the @OKToday Global Check-In: reach out to 1 friend, classmate, or colleague.
🔗 Toolkit in bio. Let’s make mental health part of everyday convos.
Sample Post #2
Want to check in on a friend but not sure how? Try these:
“What’s been on your mind lately?”
“If your mood was a playlist right now, what songs would be on it?”
“What would make today feel a little lighter for you?”
Checking in isn’t about having the perfect words. It’s about showing you care. 🫶
🔗 Download the full @OKToday Global Check-In guide in our bio.
Sample Post #3
Have you checked in on YOU lately?
Journaling can help reduce anxiety, boost focus and track your growth over time. @oktodayglobal and @ZenQuill are teaming up this #WorldMentalHealthDay to give you prompts that make self-reflection easier.
📝 Try it this week → link in bio.
Sample Post #4
I joined the OK Today #WorldMentalHealthDay global check-in and reached out to friends, classmates + colleagues about mental health.
Together, we’re breaking down stigma one convo at a time.
Want to keep it going? Check out @oktodayglobal’s toolkit in bio.
Social Media Graphics
Need crisis support?
If you or a friend need urgent assistance, call your local emergency services immediately. If you feel it’s safe, stay with your friend, or find someone to stay with them until help arrives.
In the U.S., the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
OK Today, a Youth-Driven, Global Movement to End Mental Health Stigma, Launches at the 2025 AFS Youth Assembly
New York, NY (August 7, 2025) — Today marks the official launch of OK Today, a youth-driven, global collective on a mission to transform how the world sees and talks about mental health. The launch comes ahead of the 2025 AFS Youth Assembly in New York City (August 8-10), where OK Today will take the stage as part of the Assembly’s first-ever dedicated program track on youth mental health.
“For the first time, youth mental health will have its own program track at the AFS Youth Assembly program,” said Yumna Khan, Director of the AFS Youth Assembly & Strategic Youth Initiatives. “Aligned with this year’s theme, ‘Defying Adversity: Empowering Young Global Citizens to Lead,’ this track highlights how today’s turbulent world impacts youth mental health and equips young changemakers with the tools, knowledge, and support to lead conversations, challenge stigma, and build resilient communities.”
Why Now?
Globally, 1 in 7 youth live with a mental health condition1. Yet, stigma persists. Four in 10 Gen Z report feeling judged or misunderstood when talking about mental health at school or work2. While 1 in 3 want to support peers, nearly half don’t know where to start2. In the U.S., young people are more likely to turn to peers than adults, but 70% say they don’t feel equipped to help3.
Our Focus
OK Today is a peer-powered platform that encourages everyday conversations about mental health. We believe everyone deserves space to show up as our authentic selves, whether we’re OK or not OK, and know that is OK. OK Today a movement to build connection and normalize open dialogue through educational tools, workshops and peer-to-peer groups. Our goal is to reach 1 million young people (ages 18 to 25) in the next three years through online and in-person activations.
OK Today is built on the belief that young people should be leading the mental health conversation. We are guided by a Youth Advisory Board and co-created by Global Gateway Advisors and the AFS Youth Assembly.
First Activation
The movement kicks off with its first activation at the 2025 AFS Youth Assembly, where Active Minds, a peer-to-peer education advisor to OK Today, will lead an OK Today-sponsored session based on its A.S.K. (Acknowledge, Support, Keep-in-Touch) framework, developed in partnership with SHOWTIME/MTV Entertainment Studios. This evidence-based model teaches young people how to support peers through everyday conversations.
“At Active Minds, we believe real change starts with community and we’re excited to see the conversation around youth mental health expand,” said Laura Horne, Chief Program Officer at Active Minds. “We know the world needs more youth-led mental health action, and together we’re championing a new era of mental health.”
What’s Next
Following the launch, OK Today will expand through local partnerships and OK Today activations in key global markets. These events will train youth ambassadors to lead mental health conversations in their communities, fostering a culture of openness, empathy and peer support.
Get Involved
We are seeking people, partners and platforms from around the world to join us. Follow OK Today on Instagram and LinkedIn. Subscribe to the OK Today newsletter for updates and insights. Share your story. Spark change. Be a part of OK Today. Learn more at OKToday.org.
About Active Minds
Active Minds is the largest nonprofit in the United States mobilizing youth and young adults to transform mental health norms across society. For more than 20 years, we have equipped the next generation of peer mental health advocates through a variety of programs, including the Active Minds Chapter Network, A.S.K., and Send Silence Packing. Our advocacy, initiatives, and campaigns foster lasting change in how youth view and discuss mental health, encouraging them to use their voices to influence broader conversations and inform mental health supports within their communities. Together, we are building a diverse movement of champions committed to improving mental health for all. To learn more about Active Minds, visit activeminds.org.
About AFS Youth Assembly
The AFS Youth Assembly is a global platform that cultivates an international network of young leaders and changemakers through exchange, education, action, and impact. The Assembly empowers youth to lead solutions to global challenges, including mental health, sustainability, and peacebuilding. The Youth Assembly is organized by AFS Intercultural Programs, an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help people develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world. Learn more at https://www.youthassembly.org.
About Global Gateway Advisors
Global Gateway Advisors is a strategic communications consultancy helping companies, nonprofits, and governments establish, grow, and protect their reputations through dialogue and influencer engagement. Global Gateway Advisors has a proven track record in social impact work. We’ve partnered with leading global organizations to advance literacy, pay equity, workplace inclusion, public health, economic opportunity and scholarships. Learn more at https://globalgatewayadvisors.com.
Sources:
¹ UNICEF, Adolescent Mental Health Data, https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-health/mental-health/
2 UNICEF, Perceptions of youth mental health report 2025, https://www.youthmentalhealthcoalition.org/media/591/file/Genz-global-report-EN.pdf
3 Active Minds, Mental Health Statistics, https://activeminds.org/resource/mental-health-statistics/
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