According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in 2024, there were 958 suspected or confirmed suicide deaths in New South Wales alone.
On May 22, 2025, 2RRR welcomed Amanda and Alexandra Riedel from the Harrison Riedel Foundation, who were spreading awareness on mental health issues affecting young Australians.
Over ten years ago, Amanda Reidel tragically lost her son, Harrison, to suicide at 13 years old. To combat this national issue impacting adolescents, Amanda and Alexandra have created an application called YourCrew to assist in closing the gap.
This application enables young Australians to monitor their mental health and drives conversations between loved ones. YourCrew is free and available to download in the Apple App Store and Google Play.
In response to the increasingly prevalent issue, Amanda stated the purpose of their foundation and application is “to stop this from happening to anybody else.”
Their application allows adolescents to build their own crew of up to 9 loved ones as they share and provide access to their emotional well-being. This is established as individuals log their daily well-being via emojis or written reports. As a result, loved ones are notified if results are detrimental to one’s health. Moreover, their application also features a digital journal, a digital safety plan, and access to professional health services.
As per Alexandra, their application is like a “warm blanket” for young Australians as it provides easy access to supportive networks.
The Harrison Ridel Foundation recently created an initiative called ‘YourCrew Classroom’, which supports adolescents struggling through the Australian school system.
If you are reading this and struggling with mental health, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or call 000.
by Alessia Zappala