Stop. Breathe. Think. Why Supporting Young People’s Mental Health Matters

At Hashtag Big Smile, we believe creating lasting change starts with people. It starts with listening, understanding what communities need, and backing the organisations doing vital work on the ground. That is exactly why we are proud to support Stop.Breathe.Think., a UK mental health charity focused on making counselling accessible, available and affordable for children and young people.  

Mental health support for young people has never been more important. For many children and teenagers, the gap between needing help and actually getting it can feel huge. Long waiting lists, cost, stigma and lack of access can all get in the way.

Stop.Breathe.Think. exists to break down those barriers by offering online counselling and wellbeing support to young people aged 8 to 21 who cannot afford support or cannot access it quickly enough. The charity says its vision is simple: every child and young person should have someone to talk to, without barriers, without stigma and without the wait.

That mission really resonates with us.

At Hashtag Big Smile, our work is rooted in building stronger communities and creating positive futures. We talk a lot about opportunity, support and sustainability, but underneath all of that is something deeply human: helping people feel seen, valued and cared for.  When a young person is struggling with anxiety, stress, low mood or difficult life circumstances, having the right support at the right time can make a huge difference. It can help them feel safer, more confident and better equipped to move forward.

That is what makes Stop.Breathe.Think. so powerful.

Founded in November 2020 in response to growing mental health challenges among children and young people, the charity has already supported around 3,500 children and young people, delivered more than 22,000 counselling sessions, and partnered with more than 150 child and youth organisations. According to the charity, 92% of young people said they had improved mental health as a result of the support they received.

Their model is not just fast, it is thoughtful too. Stop.Breathe.Think. offers brief, solution-focused counselling and wellbeing support designed to help young people understand their feelings, build confidence and find practical ways forward. They also place strong emphasis on early intervention, meeting young people where they are and helping before problems grow even bigger.

We support Stop.Breathe.Think. because their work changes lives in a way that is both immediate and long-lasting. A conversation can ease fear. A counselling session can open a door. Feeling heard can be the start of a completely different future.

For us, supporting charities like this is about more than funding. It is about backing organisations that bring hope, dignity and practical help to people who need it most. It is about recognising that mental health is just as important as physical health, and that young people deserve support that is accessible, compassionate and free from judgement.

Stop.Breathe.Think. is doing exactly that.

And we are proud to stand behind them as they help more young people pause, breathe, think, and take the next step forward with support around them.

If you want, I can turn this into a slightly more emotional version, a more formal impact-report version, or a version with a stronger donation call to action.