At batyr, we are dedicated to reducing the stigma around mental health and amplifying the voices and experiences of young people to create effective change. Our recent participation at the NEXUS Global Summit exemplifies this commitment, bringing our voices and experiences to a global stage. Held from June 26-29, the summit in New York City gathered over 650 young leaders from 50 countries, united by the theme 'Brave Voices, Bold Ideas.'
NEXUS is a platform that catalyses new leadership and accelerates solutions to global problems, convened in conjunction with the United Nations. This year’s summit addressed key themes such as Tech/AI and innovation, climate and regenerative industries, geopolitical stability, philanthropy, health, and the arts.
From left: Karla Garcia Teruel, Marc Brackett, Alexander Roque and Lucy Steggles.
One of the standout sessions was the mental health panel 'Mental Health - Voices from The Field.' Our Head of Major Gifts and Philanthropy, Lucy Steggles, represented batyr as one of only three Australian speakers. Lucy joined Marc Brackett, Professor and Director at the Yale Centre for Emotional Intelligence, and Alex Roque, CEO of the Ali Forney Center, to discuss critical mental health issues affecting young people today and how young people need to be part of the solution.
The Australian delegation at the NEXUS Global Summit.
A keynote speaker at the summit, Selena Gomez shared her personal story and her motivations for starting the fund, speaking alongside Elyse Cohen, Vice President of Rare Beauty and the Rare Impact Fund. Selena’s passionate commitment to mental health resonated with the audience, highlighting the importance of open conversations and support systems.
Selena spoke about how the only thing she wants more than anything is to give someone hope, and a voice. Selena's dedication to tackling the youth mental health crisis is unwavering; “The biggest thing I wanted to do was help someone understand themselves a little more” she said. “I promise everyone in this room I will make a difference and I will make the world a better place.”
From left: Elyse Cohen, Selena Gomez. Photo by Sam Popp.
batyr is proud to be the only Australian charity partner for the Rare Impact Fund. Our CEO, Katie Acheson, and Head of Major Gifts and Philanthropy, Lucy Steggles, had the privilege of meeting Selena Gomez to discuss how we are utilising their funding to support more young people in Australia. This includes innovative projects like the OurHerd app, designed to give young people a platform to share their stories and seek support.
batyr CEO Katie Acheson and Head of Major Gifts and Philanthropy Lucy Steggles with Selena Gomez.
Our involvement at the NEXUS Global Summit highlights batyr's ongoing efforts to lead the conversation on youth mental health prevention and the power of lived experience storytelling on a global scale. We are committed to continuing our work, inspired by the brave voices and bold ideas shared at the summit, and we look forward to making a lasting impact on the lives of young people.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis and is in immediate danger of harming themselves or others, call 000. You can find a comprehensive list of mental health support services here.