Linkmate is a start-up founded by David Titeu and run by a team of innovators working to positively impact the lives of people experiencing loneliness and mental health challenges.
David had his first battle with mental health in 2017, and arising out of this challenging experience was the idea for Linkmate, a social network to support those in the community experiencing challenging times.
“Throughout my journey as a student at uni and navigating the jump into the workforce, I was met with a lot of family related issues, loneliness and addiction and it was difficult to find someone close to me to open up to,” David said.
After David struggled to find meaningful connection with doctors and psychologists, the founder found the courage to open up to his father about his mental health struggles.
This allowed David to connect with his father, where both held space for one another about their shared experiences of mental health.
David’s father shared his experience as a refugee and the trauma he had experienced residing in a new country.
Following that experience, Linkmate was born and the application was created to allow others to find hope in the community and other individuals.
Linkmate’s sole purpose is to assist people to connect with others to prevent the onset of mental health challenges.
The application fosters a community of people to engage in conversation with trained peers, giving people a chance to engage in conversation and be seen and heard by others in the community.
The application is a safe space where peer support can occur and allows all members to have somebody to turn to during a time of need.
“I’m not the only one who might be suffering in silence and not everyone might have someone, like my dad, to turn to,”David said.
“Not everyone has a friend or family member to turn to or open up to in their close-knit circle, and that’s why we exist to offer that sense of mateship and community through the app,” David added.
Linkmate allows members to sign up to the application and connect with a trained peer who can hold space for them and provide a space where they can be vulnerable and connect with others in the community.
“If we’re struggling and don’t have a mate or friend around us, loneliness can completely amplify our pain. Sometimes having a trusted mate show up for us is all we need and can offer the care to help us feel loved & comfortable working through our challenges.”
Underpinning their work is social prescribing or social empowerment, the second component of encouraging individuals to find a local community group, activity, interest or passion which can foster a sense of connectedness and belonging.
On 5th December 2022, Linkmate was awarded first place in the B-Good category at the fifth Pause Awards.
The Pause Awards are the home for celebrating the most innovative Australian businesses and recognising their drive to build better ecosystems.
Some past winners of this award include Airwallex, Linktree and Aussie Broadband and Linkmate has now joined this lineup of forward thinking businesses.
“Linkmate has broken a new record for innovation in Australia,” said George Hedon, Founder & CEO of Pause Awards. “This award is a validation of the strong vision, immaculate execution and team effort.”
“We are immensely grateful for this award. It is a testament to our team’s collective devotion to making the world a friendlier, more supportive and compassionate place to live in,” said David Titeu, Founder & Director of Linkmate.
Anyone with a passion for helping others and a desire to use their own story to inspire hope can volunteer to be a Mate at Linkmate by downloading the app to complete the training course and meet with the team.
See the link here to connect with a Mate for genuine friendship and empathetic support or become a Mate to support those within the community: https://linkmate.com.au/download-linkmate/
Elle Angelucci
Elle Angelucci is a dedicated writer who is focused on pushing the boundaries of creativity to achieve productive change within the community. Currently completing her Juris Doctor at Monash University, Elle is working to tell the story of organisations and individuals using innovative approaches to effect change in the family violence and mental health spaces. She is devoted to exploring complex ideas and utilising writing as a way to express these to cultivate community, connection and courage.
