According to a study, more than half of first-year college students (54 percent) frequently felt anxious since starting college, and 60 percent don't turn to professionals for help.

To encourage conversation among young people and ensure that support is accessible to all, Maybelline New York partnered with The Jed Foundation, to create Brave Talk, a free expert-developed training program designed to give students the skills to support their peers who may be struggling and to help connect them to care.

"At Maybelline, we believe that mental health is health, but we know that when people are struggling, they turn to those they trust first," said Trisha Ayyagari, global brand president, Maybelline New York Worldwide. "We created a program that would put 1:1 support for mental health into everyone's hands. With Brave Talk, we believe more people will feel heard, supported, and aware of the resources available to them. We passionately believe no one should have to struggle alone."

Brave Talk builds on the top beauty brand's Brave Together program launched in 2020. It is dedicated to help destigmatize anxiety and depression worldwide and to make 1:1 support accessible to all, in partnership with mental health nonprofits around the world. Brave Together is committed to reaching one million people with 1:1 support and donating $10 million to mental health causes by 2025.

Created in partnership with JED's clinical experts, Brave Talk is a free 90-minute scenario-based initiative designed to be delivered by college staff that will educate students on how to spot signs of struggle in their peers, extend support to them, and connect them to appropriate help. Brave Talk's goal is to build a culture where students can feel heard and cared for.

"JED knows that creating a culture of caring around young adults is protective for their mental health," said JED CEO John MacPhee. "Brave Talk will open up much-needed conversations about mental health on college campuses while encouraging students to not only look after their own emotional well-being, but also look out for one another."

"Making these types of resources available to college students is more important than ever, and we are proud to continue our partnership with Maybelline, and thankful for their commitment to breaking down barriers in mental health care access," he added.

Maybelline kicks off the Brave Talk pilot at New York University, followed by the S Jay Levy Fellowship for Future Leaders at The City College of New York and Queens College as well as internally with Maybelline NY and L'Oreal Group employees. In 2023, the training will be available for free to all colleges nationally (in the US) and globally.

Learn more about Brave Talk,through workshops@jedfoundation.