Black Dog Institute

Sleep Ninja

The issue

Research shows more than 80% of adolescents don’t get the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep each night, and 40% will experience significant sleep problems by high school. Sleep problems alone lead to fatigue, daytime tiredness, and cognitive difficulties and are a significant risk factor for the onset of mental health problems, specifically depression in young people.

The project

Sleep Ninja is an evidence-based digital intervention for adolescent sleep problems with the aim to get it into the hands of those who need it most. Amongst many features, the app delivers Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia which is the gold-standard treatment for insomnia and sleep disturbance. 

Through their partnership with nib foundation, Black Dog Institute have developed a comprehensive implementation strategy to identify how Sleep Ninja can have the greatest impact in the real world, including identifying how to embed the app in existing health, psychology and education services so more young Aussies access Sleep Ninja. 

The impact

Sleep Ninja empowers young people across Australia to adopt healthy sleep behaviours and maintain and improve their wellbeing. By delivering an easily accessible, effective digital intervention for adolescents’ mental health, they aim to reduce the burden on the mental health system and help to address the inequalities experienced when accessing mental health care in regional areas compared to metropolitan areas.

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Past project: iBobbly

The issue

Suicide is the leading cause of death for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons between 15 – 34 years of age – over three times that of non-Indigenous Australians.

Costs, accessibility to health services, remote locations and mistrust of services are all barriers that can prevent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from seeking help for their mental health.

The project

Since 2018, we’ve partnered with Black Dog Institute to help develop iBobbly, the world’s first suicide prevention app for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Australia.

The funding enabled Black Dog Institute to develop and pilot the app and now we’ve extended the funding to ensure the delivery of the app to over 800 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by December 2020.

Unlike most online programs, the mobile app has been designed by, and for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples using metaphors, images, videos and stories drawn from local Aboriginal artists and performers to ensure the program is relevant for those wishing to seek help.

The impact

By providing a free, easily accessible app to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth struggling with mental health issues in their relevant language and culture, encourages help-seeking behaviours and helps build the skills to manage psychological distress and low mood.

The long-term vision is that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth will have access to the health app, with the app ultimately functioning to build mental fitness and connect users to local culturally appropriate support services.