Pop star Lady Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, have spent more than a decade working to make mental-health support more accessible to young people. Their efforts reached a new milestone in May 2026, when the Born This Way Foundation announced that more than 100,000 Be There Certificates had been earned worldwide through a free online programme teaching people how to support someone struggling with their mental health.The foundation, co-founded by Gaga and Germanotta in 2012, marked the achievement in partnership with Canadian youth mental-health organisation Jack.org. The certificate programme teaches participants how to recognise signs of distress, respond with care and help someone connect with appropriate support. The foundation announced the milestone on May 31, 2026, and linked it to its Generation Be There campaign, which aims to equip young people with practical skills to support themselves and others.According to the foundation’s official impact timeline, the campaign had 186 partner organisations and attracted more than 590 attendees across its events. The initiative focuses on turning conversations about mental health into practical action, encouraging people to become more confident in supporting friends, family members and peers who may be struggling.
How Lady Gaga and her mother started the foundation
The Born This Way Foundation was announced in January 2012 and officially launched on February 29 that year at Harvard University. The initiative grew out of Gaga’s interest in building a kinder, more accepting environment for young people, particularly those facing bullying, social pressure and difficulties with self-confidence.In the announcement published by Harvard Graduate School of Education, Germanotta said the foundation grew from her daughter’s desire to create a world in which people were accepted for who they were, regardless of their differences. She also spoke about the lasting effects young people can experience when they do not receive adequate support. The foundation initially focused on issues including wellbeing, anti-bullying, mentoring, self-confidence and youth empowerment. It brought together researchers, charitable organisations and young people to explore ways to encourage acceptance and create safer environments.Over time, mental-health awareness and support became central to its work. Rather than relying only on public awareness campaigns, the organisation developed initiatives intended to give young people tools they could use in everyday situations.
What is the Be There Certificate ?
The Be There Certificate is a free, self-paced online mental-health course created by Jack.org in partnership with Born This Way Foundation. It is available in English, French and Spanish and is designed to help people support someone who may be experiencing mental-health difficulties. The course centres on five principles, known as the Be There Golden Rules: “Say What You See”, “Show You Care”, “Hear Them Out”, “Know Your Role” and “Connect to Help”.The first encourages people to describe changes they have noticed without making assumptions about what someone is experiencing. The second focuses on expressing concern and showing that the person matters. Listening without judgement is another central element, alongside understanding the limits of one’s role and helping someone access further support when necessary.The programme also stresses that supporting someone does not mean taking responsibility for solving all their problems. Instead, it aims to help participants recognise when a person may be struggling, respond appropriately and connect them with relevant resources. The course is educational rather than a professional qualification in mental-health care. Completing it does not make someone a therapist or replace professional assessment and treatment. Its purpose is to help ordinary people feel better equipped to offer safe, informed support.
From awareness to practical action
The 100,000-certificate milestone represents the reach of a programme that seeks to make mental-health support a shared responsibility rather than something left exclusively to professionals. In April 2026, Born This Way Foundation launched its Generation Be There campaign to expand participation and encourage more people to complete the course. The campaign works with organisations and community partners to bring the programme to young people and the adults who support them.The foundation’s impact timeline said the initiative had more than 186 partners and over 590 attendees across campaign events as it reached the 100,000-certificate milestone. Its activities included events, discussions and outreach designed to encourage people to move beyond simply discussing mental health and learn practical ways to help. The course has also received recognition from the digital and communications industries. The foundation lists the Be There Certificate among the recipients of a 2023 Gold Anthem Award, a 2023 Shorty Award and a 2023 Webby Honoree distinction.
Why everyday support matters
The initiative reflects a broader approach to youth wellbeing: building communities in which people feel comfortable discussing mental-health struggles and seeking help. Friends, classmates, colleagues and family members may notice changes in someone’s behaviour before that person approaches a professional, making informed and compassionate responses important. However, recognising distress does not mean diagnosing a condition. The course encourages participants to listen, express concern and understand when further assistance is needed.For Gaga and Germanotta, the foundation has provided a platform to extend their message of acceptance into practical programmes. The latest milestone proves that the message has reached a substantial international audience, with the certificate offering participants a structured way to learn how to respond when someone needs support.