Mental Helse Ungdom
Mental Helse Ungdom is a Norwegian non-profit (founded 2005, Oslo) serving children and youth up to age 36 through a help chat, 35+ volunteer-run local chapters nationwide, an experience-based advocacy group, and a knowledge repository, funded by individual donations and Stiftelsen Dam project grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersOslo, Norway
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Mental Helse Ungdom does
Mental Helse Ungdom is a Norwegian non-profit voluntary organization (ideell organisasjon) founded in 2005 and headquartered in Oslo, serving children and young people up to 36 years of age across Norway. Its core service portfolio comprises four offerings: Hjelpechatten, a volunteer-run chat service available daily from 18:00 to 24:00 for ages 18–36; a network of 35+ local chapters (lokallag/treffsted) functioning as in-person meeting places; Erfaringsgruppa, an experience group for ages 13–36 contributing lived-expertise to advocacy and project work; and Kunnskapsbank, an online knowledge repository covering diagnoses, reports, and guides. Operations are predominantly volunteer-driven at the local level, with a national staff team of approximately 23 listed contacts plus Generalsekretær Adrian Lorentsson and Assisterende generalsekretær Aida Tesfai. The organization runs the Erfaringsgruppa as a user-involvement channel and operates TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook channels targeted at youth audiences, with the Snakk om det... Eller? TikTok campaign reaching over 2.5 million people as of September 2024.
The organization's project portfolio is substantial and externally co-developed. Active and upcoming multi-year projects include BOBLE (a digital mental health magazine for grades 3–7, launching on Gyldendal's Salaby platform in October 2026), Helhetlig seksualitetsundervisning (a digital sexuality education program for grades 8–10 developed with Spille Sammen AS, 2026–2028), NEON Young Norway (a Nord University-led storytelling-to-digital-tools study), Slagkraft (boxing-based school program with Norges Bokseforbund), På rett kjøl (an 8-episode NRK Skole documentary with Stiftelsen Christian Radich, 2023–2024), Psykens koreografi (with Oslo and Norwegian dance schools), Psyk av troen (research with Nordlandsforskning), and the CAP research project on coercion in child and adolescent psychiatry with KvIP. The international department also runs development cooperation projects in Ethiopia and Uganda. Technology stack is limited to standard digital tools: a website chat widget, social media channels, and content production for podcasts and videos, with no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or proprietary platform technology.
The revenue model combines individual recurring donations (fastgivere) processed via AvtaleGiro, Vipps, or postal giro with no binding period, annual membership fees for members up to 36 years, and project-based grants primarily from Stiftelsen Dam through the Dam Helse, Dam Utvikling, and Dam Forskning programs. Gifts of at least 500 NOK qualify for Norwegian tax deduction. The organization operates on a community-led go-to-market motion: local chapters drive recruitment and engagement through word-of-mouth, school outreach, and events; the Hjelpechatten serves as a direct-to-consumer digital channel; and a biennial Landsmøte (national assembly) provides member governance. Financial information is not publicly disclosed, and the organization is privately held as a voluntary non-profit with no parent company, institutional investors, or subsidiaries.
Mental Helse Ungdom firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mental Helse Ungdom
- Legal name
- Mental Helse Ungdom
- Website
- https://mentalhelseungdom.no
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Mental Helse Ungdom is a Norwegian non-profit (founded 2005, Oslo) serving children and youth up to age 36 through a help chat, 35+ volunteer-run local chapters nationwide, an experience-based advocacy group, and a knowledge repository, funded by individual donations and Stiftelsen Dam project grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mental Helse Ungdom industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Mental Health Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Social Assistance (624)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)
Keywords
Where Mental Helse Ungdom is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oslo
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Mental Helse Ungdom business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Membership Fees: The organization generates revenue through regular donor contributions (fastgivere) via AvtaleGiro, Vipps, or postal giro, and annual membership fees paid by members up to 36 years of age via AvtaleGiro or Vipps. Both have no binding period and can be cancelled at any time. Monetary gifts to charitable organizations provide tax deduction rights for gifts of at least 500 NOK.
- Project Funding and Grants: Mental Helse Ungdom receives project-based funding, primarily from Stiftelsen Dam, which supports multiple ongoing projects including BOBLE (2026–2027), Helhetlig seksualitetsundervisning (2026–2028), and NEON Young Norway. The organization acts as applicant organization (søkerorganisasjon) for project funding that can also support external project ideas submitted by partners or the public.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Free membership for youth up to 36 years |
| Subscription | Monthly | Regular donor program (Fastgiver) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Event attendance with moderation subsidy |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Mental Helse Ungdom product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mental Helse Ungdom is a Norwegian non-profit organization that provides free mental health support services for children and young people up to 36 years of age. Its core offerings include the Hjelpechatten (a volunteer-run online chat service), a nationwide network of volunteer-driven local chapters (Lokallag) serving as in-person meeting places, the Erfaringsgruppa experience group for user participation, and the Kunnskapsbank online knowledge repository. The organization also runs funded projects on mental health topics such as BOBLE, Helhetlig seksualitetsundervisning, and NEON Young Norway.
Product overview
Mental Helse Ungdom is a Norwegian nonprofit organization for the mental health of children and young people up to age 36. Its service portfolio is organized around four core offerings: Hjelpechatten (an online chat service for ages 18-36), a network of 34+ Lokallag (local chapters providing in-person meeting places), Erfaringsgruppa (an experience group for ages 13-36), and a Kunnskapsbank (knowledge repository). The organization also produces named digital products including BOBLE (a digital mental health magazine for grades 3-7, published via Gyldendal's Salaby platform), the 'Ta vare' podcast, and NEON Young Norway (a digital storytelling-to-games project led by Nord University). A major project, Helhetlig seksualitetsundervisning (2026-2028), is developing a digital sexuality education program for lower secondary schools. The organization is distinct from Stormy AS, a separate social media platform for which Mental Helse Ungdom served as a project applicant.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hjelpechatten (Help Chat) A volunteer-run online chat service for young people aged 18-36 who need someone to talk to about mental health and well-being, accessible via the website chat widget.
- Lokallag (Local Chapters) A nationwide network of volunteer-driven local chapters providing social meeting places for children and young people up to age 36, organized across 35+ locations throughout Norway.
- Erfaringsgruppa (Experience Group) An experience group for young people aged 13-36 who contribute to organizational projects, policy work, and societal influence through their personal lived experience with mental health challenges.
- Kunnskapsbank (Knowledge Bank) A free online knowledge repository containing films, reports, surveys, op-eds, books, tools, and guides produced by or with Mental Helse Ungdom, covering mental health topics and selected diagnoses.
- BOBLE A digital children's magazine about mental health for students in grades 3-7 (ages 8-13), published in collaboration with Gyldendal on the Salaby learning platform.
- Podkast: Ta vare - med Hannah og Oskar A podcast series hosted by Hannah Christin Lerfaldet and Oskar Fjørtoft Sandanger exploring how different people take care of their mental health, sponsored by Aschehoug Skole.
Quantifiable outcome
- Hjelpechatten operational daily 18:00–24:00
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Mental Helse Ungdom
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Mental Helse Ungdom technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Mental Helse Ungdom partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Stormy ASminorStormy AS developed the Stormy social technology platform — a safer social media alternative for youth. Mental Helse Ungdom served as the applicant organization for a time-limited Stiftelsen Dam project in 2025, providing recruitment and coordination of user contributors. The project period has been completed.
- Spille Sammen AScoreMental Helse Ungdom and Spille Sammen AS are co-developing a comprehensive digital sexuality education program for Norwegian secondary schools (8th–10th grade), integrating sexuality education with mental health. The project runs 2026–2028 with Stiftelsen Dam funding. Bahare Viken serves as a content presenter.
- GyldendalcoreGyldendal is the publishing partner for the BOBLE digital children's magazine on mental health. BOBLE will be published on Gyldendal's Salaby learning platform, making it available to schools and students nationwide. First issue estimated October 2026.
- RVTS Øst, Voksne for Barn, Unge FunksjonshemmedecoreA specialist panel (fagpanel) for the BOBLE project consisting of RVTS Øst, Voksne for Barn, and Unge Funksjonshemmede, providing expert guidance on mental health content for children aged 3rd–7th grade.
- Nord UniversitetcoreNord Universitet (Nord University) leads the NEON Young Norway study. Mental Helse Ungdom collaborates by collecting stories from young people about coping with mental health challenges, which are used to develop games and digital tools for youth. The study explores how young people have managed and recovered from mental health issues.
- NordlandsforskningcoreNordlandsforskning (Nordland Research Institute) is the research partner for the 'Psyk av troen' project, which examines the mental health of young people who leave strict religious communities. A research report was published in 2025. Nordlandsforskning also partners on the CAP project (coercion in child and adolescent psychiatry).
- KvIPminorKvIP (Kvalitet i Institusjonsbehandling i Psykisk helsevern) is a learning network of child and adolescent psychiatric acute departments in Norway, collaborating on the CAP research project on coercion in child and adolescent psychiatry.
- Norges BokseforbundcoreNorges Bokseforbund (Norwegian Boxing Federation) partnered with Mental Helse Ungdom on the 'Slagkraft' project, providing weekly boxing training combined with group conversations for students struggling with anger, worry, or loneliness at selected secondary schools.
- Stiftelsen Christian RadichcoreStiftelsen Christian Radich partnered on the 'På rett kjøl' project (2023–2024), producing an 8-episode documentary series with NRK Skole about preventing social exclusion among youth, filmed aboard the sailing ship Christian Radich.
- Norges IdrettshøgskolecoreNorges Idrettshøgskole (Norwegian School of Sport Sciences) partnered on the 'Klatreveggen' project (2019–2021), researching how climbing and physical activity affects mental health among youth in low-threshold climbing courses.
- Dyrebeskyttelsen NorgecoreDyrebeskyttelsen Norge (Norwegian Animal Protection) partnered on the 'Dyreassistert arbeidstrening' project (2021–2023), providing supervised animal care work training for vulnerable youth aged 16–25 to prevent social exclusion and build work readiness.
- Kunsthøyskolen i OslominorPartner in the 'Psykens koreografi' project, providing educational courses for dancers and dance pedagogues on mental health awareness and self-care.
- Norges DansehøyskoleminorPartner in the 'Psykens koreografi' project, providing educational courses for dancers and dance pedagogues on mental health awareness and self-care.
- UniversitetsforlagetminorPublisher of the CAP project book 'Tvang og grenser i barne- og ungdomspsykiatrien', distributing it for sale. The book is also available for order.
- NRK SkolecoreNRK Skole hosted the documentary series 'På rett kjøl' produced by Mental Helse Ungdom and Stiftelsen Christian Radich, making it available to schools across Norway.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Mental Helse Ungdom competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Crisis Text Line: US-based volunteer-staffed text-based crisis support service for youth. Highly comparable to Hjelpechatten in delivery mechanism (text chat), audience, and volunteer model, though operates at vastly greater scale.
- The Trevor Project: US non-profit providing crisis intervention and mental health support to LGBTQ+ youth via chat and text — directly comparable to Mental Helse Ungdom's combination of chat service, youth focus, advocacy, and educational resources.
- Youthline: New Zealand youth helpline operating peer-support chat and text services — directly comparable in target audience (youth), delivery model (peer-led chat), and volunteer-led operations.
Broad incumbents
- Kirkens Bymisjon: Major Norwegian social-services non-profit operating local meeting places and youth programs across Norway — comparable geographic footprint and volunteer chapter structure, with broader social-service scope.
- Røde Kors Ungdom: Norwegian Red Cross Youth — a comparable volunteer-led, locally-chaptered Norwegian youth organization with nationwide reach and similar community-development DNA, though focused on humanitarian rather than mental health themes.
- Headspace: Australian national youth mental health foundation providing both digital resources and physical service centers — comparable youth mental health mission with much larger institutional backing.
- Blå Kors: Large Norwegian mental-health and addiction non-profit that runs youth programs (Blå Kors Ungdom), local meeting places, and chat support — comparable in mission and Norwegian non-profit structure, but broader in scope.
Others
- Barneombudet: Norwegian Ombudsman for Children — an independent state institution advocating for children's rights in Norway. Complementary rather than competitive, but uses overlapping advocacy channels and policy voice.
- Mental Helse: The adult-focused parent organization of Mental Helse Ungdom, operating the broader Mental Helse movement in Norway including patient advocacy, peer support, and local chapters for adults with mental health challenges.
- Mental Health Foundation: UK-based mental health charity with a strong youth and schools focus and similar knowledge-bank / digital content distribution model. Comparable in knowledge-dissemination function though much larger.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Mental Helse Ungdom social profiles
Digital presenceMental Helse Ungdom financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mental Helse Ungdom leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Mental Helse Ungdom funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mental Helse Ungdom M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mental Helse Ungdom
What does Mental Helse Ungdom do?
Mental Helse Ungdom is a Norwegian non-profit organization that provides free mental health support services for children and young people up to 36 years of age. Its core offerings include the Hjelpechatten (a volunteer-run online chat service), a nationwide network of volunteer-driven local chapters (Lokallag) serving as in-person meeting places, the Erfaringsgruppa experience group for user participation, and the Kunnskapsbank online knowledge repository. The organization also runs funded projects on mental health topics such as BOBLE, Helhetlig seksualitetsundervisning, and NEON Young Norway.
Is Mental Helse Ungdom a public or private company?
Mental Helse Ungdom is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Mental Helse Ungdom founded?
Mental Helse Ungdom was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Mental Helse Ungdom based?
Mental Helse Ungdom is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does Mental Helse Ungdom make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are project Funding and Grants.
Who are Mental Helse Ungdom's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Crisis Text Line, The Trevor Project and Youthline. Broad incumbents are Kirkens Bymisjon, Røde Kors Ungdom, Headspace and Blå Kors. Others are Barneombudet, Mental Helse and Mental Health Foundation.
Does Mental Helse Ungdom have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mental Helse Ungdom.
What industry is Mental Helse Ungdom in?
Mental Helse Ungdom's product category is Youth Mental Health Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAK, Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.