The Little Talks Movement
The mission of the Little Talks Movement is to create a sustainable and supportive digital peer-to-peer network for mental wellness.
1
Read our 3-page training guide on how to initiate little talks (mental health conversations) with your friends online.
2
Take our short online quiz to become a certified Mental Health Peer Guide.
3
Text your friends about mental health, and accumulate volunteer hours and certificates for your work.
Begin your journey towards becoming a Digital Mental Health Champion here.
In the Little Talks Movement, volunteers progress through four tiers of mental health advocacy.
Each tier focuses on different levels of engagement and understanding and includes training, activities, and requirements designed to enhance participants’ ability to engage meaningfully with their peers about mental health. Volunteers receive certificates for every tier they complete.
By progressing through these tiers, participants will build valuable peer education and advocacy skills, and receive recognition for their dedication and contributions to improving mental health in their community.
All volunteers begin at the Bronze Tier as a Mental Health Awareness Trainee. After submitting the Google Forms for one tier, you will receive an email with a certificate stating that you are a Mental Health Peer Guide. You do not need to complete any additional steps or contact us to receive your certificate; we will send the email within 2-5 business days, at which point you can progress onto the next tier. View the requirements and materials for each tier below.
We know you are busy—the Little Talks Movement is designed to be effective but not time-consuming. Many volunteers receive the Digital Mental Health Champion Certificate (the highest tier) within 3-5 hours of volunteering.
Not ready to start your journey yet? Click here to receive an email reminder later.
Bronze Tier: Mental Health Awareness Trainee
All volunteers begin as Mental Health Awareness Trainees. At this foundational level, you must first study this 3-page training module on how to effectively engage in Little Talks (mental health conversations).
Then, you will take this qualification exam, which assesses your understanding of key mental health concepts and how to have productive, empathetic discussions about mental wellness.
Achieving a score of at least 7/10 on the exam will allow participants to graduate from this tier and become a Mental Health Peer Guide. If you do not achieve the passing score, please review the training guide again and resubmit the form. Once you have passed exam, you will receive certification that are now a Mental Health Peer Guide.
Silver Tier: Mental Health Peer Guide
Mental Health Peer Guides play a more active role in the community. Participants will be required to engage in at least three Little Talks (peer-to-peer conversations as described in the training guide), focusing on creating open, supportive, and informed discussions.
You will also recruit at least one person to join the Little Talks Movement, which is defined as passing the training exam with a score of at least 7/10; ask your peer to write down your name on the exam question asking who referred them so you can receive credit. (Many volunteers choose to ask peers with whom they initiated mental health discussions with as part of the Little Talks Movement.)
Online conversations may happen with friends, family, or online acquaintances, depending on the participant's comfort level and network. They may occur over messages, Instagram, Discord, Reddit, email, or any other online platform.
By completing these interactions, participants will gain deeper insight into the real-world application of mental health knowledge. After each conversation, you will submit a screenshot proof of the beginning of your conversation here; it is acceptable to redact information such as message content or usernames in the screenshots.
Once you have submitted the form thrice and recruiting one peer to join, you will receive certification that you are now a Mental Health Equity Advocate.
Gold Tier: Mental Health Equity Advocate
As a Mental Health Equity Advocate, you will amplify your impact through engaging in additional conversations and encouraging your peers to join the Little Talks movement.
At this tier, you will engage in three additional little talks (peer-to-peer conversations about mental health) and submit them here. You will also recruit two more people to join the Little Talks Movement, which is defined as passing the training exam with a score of at least 7/10.
Once you have submitted the conversations form three times, and two peers who passed the exam recorded you as their Mental Health Equity Advocate, you will receive certification that you are now a Digital Mental Health Champion.
Diamond Tier: Digital Mental Health Champion
The highest tier within the Little Talks Movement is the Digital Mental Health Champion. The Digital Mental Health Champion title signifies the highest level of commitment to peer mental wellness, as these individuals lead by example and actively work to expand the network.
At this tier, volunteers continue to initiate mental health conversations and recruit peers to the movement. All Digital Mental Health Champions will be ranked on the Little Talks Leaderboard (coming soon to the website!), unless they opt out. The leaderboard displays each participant's name, current tier, and the number of little talks they've facilitated. Our goal is to create an element of friendly competition, motivating individuals to strive for higher levels of engagement and recognition. The leaderboard allows participants to track their progress and see the tangible impact they are making in the lives of others.
Volunteers who achieve this tier and continue to volunteer may accumulate sufficient hours to receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA).
Confused about how to get started? Contact mercuri.world@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.
The mission of the Little Talks Movement is to create a sustainable and supportive digital peer-to-peer network for mental wellness.
In today’s digital age, peer-to-peer connections are more crucial than ever, especially when it comes to tackling the often-taboo topic of mental health. The Little Talks Movement was inspired by our founder's academic research on online forums and personal experiences in tight-knit online communities. The name "Little Talks" is borrowed from the debut single from Of Monsters and Men.
The Little Talks Movement strives to leverage online communities to foster open and non-judgmental conversations among peers for people to discuss their mental health, share resources, and support one another. As a participant in the Little Talks Movement, you are not only gaining valuable skills to support the mental wellness of those around you but also helping to build a more supportive and understanding community. The skills you acquire in the program, such as active listening, empathy, and mental health literacy, are invaluable assets that can be applied both online and in your personal life.
Our goal is to help normalize conversations around mental health, reduce stigma, and empower young people to make a meaningful difference. Through peer support, education, and action, the Little Talks Movement strives to create a world where mental wellness is prioritized and discussed openly, making it a part of everyday conversations.
The Little Talks Movement is a project of mercuri.world, a not-for-profit initiative pioneering innovative digital solutions to global mental well-being.
Learn more about mercuri.world here.