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Education Awareness Campaigns Project UROK

Awareness Campaign

Project UROK

Project UROK reaches out to teens directly and allows them to engage in the conversation about mental health on their terms in their space: online. It’s a safe, welcoming and fun online platform where they can watch and share videos.

Project UROK, an initiative of the Child Mind Institute, was founded in 2014 by Jenny Jaffe with one simple goal: de-stigmatization through storytelling. Project UROK’s mission is to create funny, meaningful videos for teenagers struggling with mental health issues, made by people who have been there before. In doing so, we provide not only practical tips, but also a sense of belonging, comfort and hope. The content on Project UROK is diverse and varied: comedy sketches, testimonials, informational videos, web series and more. Project UROK is also a platform for teens to upload their own videos, thereby empowering them to participate in the conversation about mental health.

This is a conversation that is long overdue. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 46% of 13- to 18-year-olds have a diagnosable mental illness. Suicide is the third highest cause of death for teenagers: 1 in 12 will attempt it, and 1 in 6 will seriously consider it. In the face of these statistics, Project UROK was created to combat the isolation and stigmatization surrounding mental illness. We are starting an honest and open conversation about it, and we hope you’ll join us. By combatting the loneliness and shame experienced by millions of vulnerable teens, Project UROK hopes to reduce teen suicide rates and create a national dialogue about mental illness.

Project UROK does not provide treatment or treatment advice; young adults offer coping strategies they have found useful and encourage others to seek help. By engaging with teens across social media platforms, Project UROK creates a safe, supportive community for them to tell their stories and hear the stories of others. In doing so we can show that no matter what you are going through, you are not alone. And you are okay.

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Questions? Comments? Compliments?  Email urok@childmind.org or contact the Child Mind Institute. See frequently asked questions about Project UROK.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe?

Yes. Project UROK screens all videos before they’re uploaded. Video submissions may not contain locations, full names, hate speech or anything that advocates self-harm, suicide or violence. We don’t want to glamourize mental illness — we just want to create an honest portrayal of it.

We also monitor comments across all platforms — YouTube, our website, social media — very carefully, and reserve the right to hide any inappropriate comments and to block any offending users. We will not accept video submissions that have been previously made public.

If you have reason to believe that it is dangerous for your child’s story to be online, please contact us at urok@childmind.org and let us know.

How can I get involved?

Great question! You can donate, make a video, write a blog, like/follow us on social media, share our posts, and if you know any teenagers or young adults who would benefit from hearing these stories, or would like to tell their own stories, direct them to our site!

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Who can upload videos?

Anyone with a YouTube account can submit a video, and all submitted videos are reviewed by the Project UROK team to make sure they fit our guidelines before they are released.

What are the guidelines for videos?

All videos should be 2-3 minutes long, and may not reveal the locations or full names of anyone under the age of 18. (Of course, we don’t require that anyone reveal their full name.) They may not contain any hate speech or anything that advocates self-harm, suicide or violence. They must be unpublished or unlisted and must be sent to us for approval before we publish them on YouTube.

What if I don’t want my child’s video to be published?

Anyone with a YouTube account can submit a video. We rely on YouTube’s guidelines, which permit anyone who is 13 years of age or older to open an account and publish material. Of course, if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s safety we urge you to contact us. You might find YouTube’s page on parents’ concerns about children sharing videos useful; it includes safety tips from Google and Common Sense Media.

If you have reason to believe that it is dangerous for your child’s story to be online, please contact us at urok@childmind.org and let us know.