In 2024 in France, 1 out of 5 young people suffers from depressive disorders, yet the topic of mental health remains taboo, as highlighted by the singer Orelsan in 2017.

Despite efforts to break the silence, popular culture perpetuates stereotypes, keeping young people locked in silence. Drivers from the ride-hailing brand Heetch are in daily contact with these young people, bringing them back from parties or transporting them to work.

Some, especially those from working-class neighborhoods, seek to confide. According to Karim, a driver at Heetch, dialogue is easily created during the journeys: "We listen to them, and they want to talk without feeling judged. Being focused on the road seems to put them at ease to share their problems."

This relationship shows that informal spaces for discussion can contribute to breaking the loneliness and isolation of young people in distress.

Heetch has partnered with the Fondation Falret – committed to the mental health of French people since 1841 – to launch "First Conversation": a concrete initiative to raise awareness among young people about mental health issues, promote the liberation of speech, and work towards reducing the duration of diagnostic wandering, which currently stands at around 10 years.

For a week, psychologists, and mental health ambassadors from the Fondation Falret took the wheel of Heetch cars and accompanied young people so they could have a first contact with a professional during a ride.

Heetch drivers also had the opportunity to undergo training in active listening offered by the Fondation Falret to learn the basics of mental health first aid in case they encounter a situation requiring it during one of their rides in the future.

Heetch and the Fondation Falret decided to focus on young people in this initiative for two reasons: firstly, because young people are most affected by mental health issues, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic; and secondly, because they constitute the core demographic of the Heetch app (75% of its users are under 30 years old), and the brand maintains a close relationship with them on social media. Many of them are accustomed to posting jokes on social media, saying that Heetch drivers are like therapists to them, and they often share their lives or confide their problems with them.

Utilizing the Heetch service as a platform to raise awareness about mental health issues was therefore the perfect opportunity to address the primary stakeholders: young people.

Heetch partnered with a mental health organization to create this project, naturally turning to the Fondation Falret, deeply rooted in the 93 area of the Paris suburbs, and committed to French mental health since 1841.

Together, they implemented the project in two stages: assembling a team of specialists to drive the cars and meet young users and producing educational content to raise awareness about mental health issues among them.

In the two weeks leading up to the launch, educational content was shared on both brands' social media and by relevant media/influencers, aiming to explain the significance of the initiative.

On launch day, the "First Conversation" offer was visible in the Heetch app, allowing users to book a car with a psychologist. After their ride, users received a notification from the Heetch app directing them to partner organizations for further assistance.

In a week, +1000 orders for "First Conversation" rides were placed through the Heetch app, +7% subscribers on the app and the Fondation Falret website saw a 120% increase in visits during the 2 weeks following the project's announcement.