Introduction Social prescribing (SP) has had limited application to young people, partly due to a misalignment between the traditional model and youth needs. Many young people prefer to access mental health support without going to their GP, with perceived stigma and confidentiality significant barriers to accessing help, particularly among vulnerable youth. Young people also often prefer to self-manage their mental health, seeking help from friends or online. While the value of multiple referral pathways is now recognised, the role of the ‘connector’ remains central in providing personalised support, exploring client needs, strengths and interests, and linking individuals to appropriate community resources. The aim in this project was to explore a youth-friendly alternative to traditional SP referral pathways by leveraging technology to overcome barriers to engagement and access. Method We explored the viability of an AI-supported connector platform through youth focus groups and a larger scale survey, and interviews with community and arts stakeholders. We gauged interest, identified favourable adoption conditions, and uncovered potential barriers in a digital solution. Positive youth development principles were used to guide design of the AI prompt to reduce stigma and capitalise on young people's personal strengths and digital literacy. Results and Discussion A digital connection tool (‘Connie’) was co-designed with youth to connect them with personalised social arts opportunities in their community, and to provide confidence-building information about accessing these activities. Focus group participants highlighted a range of desirable features for a digital connector. The most crucial were social in nature, including information about attendee profiles and event atmosphere to help assess fit. Notably, 84% of our sample expressed interest in using a Connie-like digital tool to discover suitable local arts activities. We conclude that a digitally supported connector pathway provides a valuable alternative to traditional models for youth.