Lady Gaga has launched a free online mental health course to help people learn how to be there for themselves and others.
Leaders at the singer's Born This Way Foundation have partnered with the team at Canadian mental health charity Jack.org to launch the Be There Certificate, which is designed to increase mental health literacy and provide people with the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to support those who might be struggling.
The online course, which is available in English, French, and Spanish, will teach people how to recognise when someone needs help, how to support that person, and how to connect them with professional assistance.
"I hear from young people around the world every day that need the validation, affirmation, and support the Be There Certificate offers," Gaga explained to People about the genesis of the project. "Sharing this resource with each of those young people and the world means everything to me and I share it as a way to remind myself and everyone else that we each have a role to play in being there for each other.
"It can feel daunting to start the conversation about mental health with someone else and offer support. With the Be There Certificate you learn how to truly, kindly safely be there for someone while maintaining your own mental wellness."
The Poker Face hitmaker celebrated the launch on social media on Wednesday by sharing a video in which she lists the "five golden rules" for being truly there for someone in need.
"Number one, say what you see. Number two, show you care. Number three, hear them out. Number four, know your role. Number five, connect to help, kindly and safely," she said.
Gaga and her mother Cynthia Germanotta founded the foundation, which is committed to supporting and empowering young people, in 2012.
