Odido and MIND Us join hands to improve young people’s mental health

Odido and MIND Us Foundation are joining forces to improve the mental wellbeing of young people. Odido's digital knowledge and reach are to be combined with MIND Us' mental health expertise and experience. On Friday 17 November, MIND Us together with Odido organised a young people event with various mental health workshops. During this event, MIND Us and Odido launched their partnership and engaged in talks with young persons about the impact of technology on their mental health.

The mental health of Dutch young people is deteriorating, according to the Dutch Central Statistical Office CBS figures11. The covid pandemic, social media and high performance pressure are possible causes. Several studies suggest that technology can affect the mental health of young people in the Netherlands both positively and negatively. Odido recognises both sides and supports responsible use of technology. By joining forces, MIND Us and Odido aim to make an impactful contribution to this social problem.

Long-term partnership with MIND Us
The partnership between MIND Us and Odido includes an annual financial contribution to MIND Us, as well as the exchange of knowledge and expertise. Part of this joint effort is a contribution to an advanced digital platform developed by MIND Us with seven other partners. It will be a platform for young people that gives information on mental health, tips and tricks and support for incipient symptoms. Odido will also engage with young people to hear the positive and negative effects they experience when it comes to phone use, social media and screen time. The telecom provider will use this input to give direction on how to work towards making young people’s mental health stronger.

Connection
Tisha van Lammeren, consumer market director at Odido and ambassador of the Digital Inclusion programme, says: "We love technology and its opportunities. But as Odido, we love people even better. And when technology cannot work for us, there is a lot we must do. We focus on both sides: when can technology add value and when is technology harmful? In society there is a discussion around technology in a 'binary' way. Either on or off. A screen has to be on or off. Phones can or cannot be used in classrooms. We want to add more balance to the role of and discussion about technology. And we will do the same around this topic of young people’s mental health. On the one hand, we use technology to improve mental health through our contribution to MIND Us' digital platform. On the other hand, by engaging with young people, we would like to find, together with MIND Us, to what extent technology causes lower mental health."

Frederieke Vriends, director of MIND US: “I am delighted with the partnership of Odido and MIND Us. Joining forces is essential in improving the mental health of young people. These are times when the pressures and challenges for young people are increasing, partly from the online world and as a result of screen time. This partnership provides an opportunity to strengthen the connection between technology and wellbeing. It is encouraging to see that an influential brand like Odido is actively committed to young people's mental health. Odido is a big brand with a big heart. Odido uses the overlap in target audience to reach our audience in a very powerful way. Together, we can make a big difference in raising awareness and supporting young people's mental health. We look forward to the positive impact we can achieve together.”