California-based YR media, a national network of young journalists and artists, has received funding from Melinda French Gates’ Pivotal Ventures to expand its mental health programming into the Midwest of America.

The grant will allow YR Media to expand to a physical location in Chicago and provide more resources to its growing network of students.

This grant follows the success of a prior Pivotal Ventures investment in YR Media’s Beyond Self-Care editorial and social storytelling effort, which culminated in a multi-day series in the spring of 2021. The content from the summit helped provide young writers, producers and artists with the tools to report on mental health and well-being stories while caring for their own.

YR Media will use the new grant to continue its mental wellness editorial coverage and provide students and youth content creators with on-site and virtual support. This includes access to therapists, case management, academic advising and healthy food at YR Media’s headquarters and its soon-to-be developed physical site for the virtual Midwest hub.

These resources aim to address social and emotional needs of students and young content creators, especially those from underrepresented and historically excluded communities, including BIPOC and LGBTQ+.

New issue: Mental health philanthropy

This issue of Alliance explores the present state of philanthropy for mental health (who is doing what and where the gaps are), the intersections with other issues, the factors which have limited mental health philanthropy and the steps that are needed to bring philanthropists together to make common cause in the area. Guest edited by Krystian Seibert, Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University Australia and chair, Mental Health First Aid, Australia.

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