OK Today, a Youth-Driven, Global Movement to End Mental Health Stigma, Launches at the 2025 AFS Youth Assembly

OK Today is working to reach 1 million young people ages 18 to 25 over the next 3 years

NEW YORK, Aug. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- 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/

SOURCE OK Today