Medibank signs on as official health partner of 36 Months initiative
Medibank has signed on as the official health partner of the 36 Months initiative, as part of its commitment to improving mental health in Australia.
36 Months, a social change initiative founded by radio host and comedian Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli and CEO of production company FINCH, Rob Galluzzo, is urging the government to mandate social media citizenship, delaying the age teenagers can sign up to social media platforms from 13 to 16.
“Teens today face a whole new set of challenges when it comes to their mental health, especially with the prevalence of a phone-based childhood,” Wippa explained.
“Our partnership with Medibank is about making sure we equip young people with the tools and support they need to stay resilient and confident. This isn’t just a campaign – it’s a movement to shift how we approach mental health for the next generation. I’m excited to see how we can create real, positive change together.”
Emerging research shows that social media platforms have severely addictive features and excessive use is rewiring young brains within a critical window of psychological development, leading to increased depression, anxiety, and loneliness in teenagers.
“At Medibank everything we do is aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of Australians so they can lead better quality lives,” said Dr Andrew Wilson, chief medical officer at Medibank.
“As a health company we see the human cost of the escalating mental health crisis in Australia, and we want to play a meaningful part of the solution to help improve the future for our kids. Mental illness is a growing issue in this country but there is no silver bullet. We know social media can be harmful to teenagers, in particular for younger teenagers aged 13 to 16, and is having a profoundly negative impact on their mental health,” he said.
As part of the partnership, Medibank and 36 Months will develop a range of health and wellbeing support services to help young Australians and their parents or guardians navigate the mental health space.
Galluzzo said it is vital for parents, educators, healthcare professionals, and more, to come together to “not only shape policy but also shift the culture in how we support teens”, to help them grow into thriving adults.
“And access to mental health support is a key part of that,” he adds.
“We’re honoured to have Medibank bring their expertise and services to the 36 Months campaign.”
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Lauren McNamara is the associate editor at Mumbrella, covering the agency beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
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Wippa
Sounds like a slippery slope to censorship
Yeah, naa I refuse to take advise from a shock jock Radio host.
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Whippa: You know what I’m passionate about?
Regulating other people’s kids screen time
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