Selena Gomez gives to Aussie youth mental health charity

Singer Selena Gomez has donated $77,000 to an Australian mental health charity that has been created and driven by young people.

Aussies were front and centre with pop royalty Selena Gomez in LA last week, raising awareness for youth mental health, with the generous singer donating $77,000 to local charity, batyr.

batyr’s CEO Nic Brown and head of philanthropy Lucy Steggles attended the glitzy gala as

Gomez launched her charity, The Rare Impact Fund, which like batyr, aims to reduce the stigma associated with mental health and provide young people with access to the resources they need.

The money comes from sales of Selena’s make up brand, Rare Beauty, that was recently labelled one of Fast Company’s ‘Brands that Matter’.

“Selena’s generous investment through the Rare Impact Fund will support the growth of our programs in schools, universities and communities across Australia,” says Brown.

“We’re honoured to be the first Australian grantee and are looking forward to working together to continue to amplify the voices of young people and give them the tools and skills to feel less alone in the world.

batyr CEO Nic Brown and head of philanthropy Lucy Steggles, with Selena Gomez (centre) at the Rare Impact Benefit in LA last week. Picture: Monica Schipper/Getty Images

“To have Selena’s support is amazing.

“Having someone as influential as her choose to use her platform to highlight and fund youth mental health really shows young people around the world that they are not alone.

Selena Gomez “hopes to create a kinder world for her younger sister to grow up in” through supporting organisations like batyr. Picture: Monica Schipper/Getty Images

“When we met her in LA, she was really excited … and said that she hopes to create a kinder world for her younger sister to grow up in through supporting organisations like us.”

Showing her dedication to the cause, Gomez even auctioned off her Taylor Swift tickets for $15,000 at the Rare Impact Benefit.

batyr is a preventive mental health charity, created and driven by young people, for young people, and the organisation has already reached over 355,000 young people through evidence-based programs in Australia.

Millie Ford at the batyr Blue Tie Ball.

TikTok’s Millie Ford recently attended batyr fundraising event the Blue Tie Ball after working with the charity for the last few months.

“There’s a lot of pressure on young people today, I definitely feel it, and I believe that we should all be actively looking after our mental health and supporting each other through tough times,” Ford says.

“I want other young people to know it’s okay to be honest about how you’re feeling and to reach out if you’re struggling.

“batyr’s school programs use storytelling as a way to connect and destigmatise mental health and encourage open conversations; through my content I’m always looking for ways to relate to people and build connection so it’s awesome to work with an organisation that’s doing this with a focus on mental health.”