TalkLife Gains Momentum with TELUS Ventures Investment to Enhance Mental Health Support

News TeamFebruary 9, 2024719 Comments02.6k

In an era marked by a pressing mental health crisis, TELUS is pioneering innovative approaches to enhance the accessibility of mental health support by forging a partnership with the peer support platform TalkLife, thus establishing a secure environment for individuals to connect and share their experiences.

TalkLife, a UK-based scaleup renowned for its global online peer support community, announced a significant investment from TELUS Ventures, the investment division of the globally acclaimed communications technology entity, TELUS. The TalkLife platform, which intertwines social networking elements within a safe and supportive framework, offers real-time peer support to a global audience exceeding five million individuals. It operates round-the-clock in various languages, ensuring clinical escalation and professional moderation in real time. Catering specifically to key groups, including over 250 academic institutions and numerous businesses ranging from SMEs to large corporations, TalkLife, through its bespoke platforms TalkCampus and TalkLife Workplace, delivers customised support.

As a key collaborator of TELUS Health, a leading figure in global healthcare serving over 69 million individuals worldwide, TalkLife plays a pivotal role in TELUS Health’s employee assistance programme (EAP), contributing significantly to one of the world’s most extensive employer-funded healthcare networks. This collaboration fosters a healthier, more satisfying life for individuals within the academic and professional sectors.

Jamie Druitt, CEO of TalkLife, articulated the vision, stating, “No one should struggle alone, and we believe that peer support has the power to break the stigma around mental health. Technology allows us to create safe spaces for people to connect and share whenever they need to and wherever they are. TalkLife is pioneering a new kind of mental health support that’s accessible, relevant, and has the research backing to prove that it really works. With the support of TELUS Ventures and TELUS Health, we will be able to power our growth and reach millions more people through both our free app and our specialised platforms for students and employees.”

The infusion of funds from TELUS Ventures will propel TalkLife’s expansion, particularly in North America, enhancing its operational capabilities and solidifying its status as a global leader in peer mental health support. This initiative addresses the challenges faced by many in accessing conventional mental health services due to stigma, cost, or availability constraints. TalkLife’s collaboration with top-tier researchers from prestigious institutions like Harvard, MIT, and others underscores its commitment to leveraging technology for fostering supportive online interactions.

Terry Doyle, Managing Partner and Vice-president of TELUS Ventures, highlighted the investment’s synergy with TELUS’s core values, remarking, “TELUS Ventures’ mission is to find the best companies in the world and help them transform and grow while they tackle some of today’s biggest challenges. By investing in TalkLife, and through the partnership with TELUS Health, we are leveraging cutting-edge technology to bring people together and break down barriers. We have seen the impact of their product first-hand and we’re proud to support them as they develop safe, judgment-free communities all around the world to make mental health support more accessible. This is an investment that aligns with TELUS values of supporting solutions that drive better health outcomes.”

For further details, visit the official announcement here: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/talklife-secures-new-investment-from-telus-to-improve-mental-health-support-873974871.html.