Other Organisations

Beyond Blue

Beyond Blue works to reduce the impact of anxiety, depression and suicide in Australia by providing information and support online and via dedicated programs for families, schools, workplaces and community organisations. Apart from support and services, the organisation attempts to tackle the stigma associated with mental ill-health that can reduce or prevent help-seeking, and undertakes advocacy for consumers and those with lived experience of anxiety, depression and suicide risk. Beyond Blue also educates the aged care and childcare sectors on detecting symptoms of mental health issues, increasing resilience among older people and children aged 0-12, and providing a website for families, healthyfamilies.org.au.

This powerful entity is uniquely positioned to draw together multiple players and resources nationally, with industry credibility as reliable project managers and political clout to effect change at the system level.

Black Dog Institute

The Black Dog Institute aims to enable healthier lives through innovations in science, education, medicine, public policy and knowledge transfer by delivering quality research, clinical expertise, and education programs in schools, workplaces and the broader community. It specialises in mental health research across three core areas – youth and adolescents, suicide prevention and eMental Health – and is located within the Prince of Wales Hospital Campus, affiliated with the University of NSW. This successful research institute has a solid reputation for evidence-based tools and models.

SANE Australia

SANE Australia has almost 30 years of experience improving mental health services and attitudes towards people affected by mental illness. It delivers a range of services, including peer-to-peer online forums (which SANE moderates on behalf of 70+ organisations), StigmaWatch (a Helpline providing advice and referrals), a Mindful Employer program, the Anne Deveson Research Centre, and a lived experiences speakers program. The organisation specialises in supporting those with more complex mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar and borderline personality disorder.

Lifeline Australia

Lifeline Australia is a national charity providing all Australians experiencing emotional distress access to 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. As well as their traditional phone counselling service, they operate a text service (0477 13 11 14) where counsellors will conduct a text conversation with an individual. This service is particularly popular amongst teens, and consent is one of many issues.

Waves of Wellness

Waves of Wellness believes dealing with mental health is not just about dealing with a crisis, it is also about finding healthy outlets for struggling, recovering, and doing fine. They focus on breaking down the barriers and stigma that prevent people from being well. Their surf therapy programs provide people with the skills to manage their mental health and well-being whether they are currently experiencing mental illness or looking to build resilience, social connection and value.

The Man Cave

The key focus of this charity is creating long-term sustainable behaviour change in young men and their communities. The entity offers two programs: an introductory school-based program and a ‘Journey to Manhood’ program, which requires a deep level of engagement and commitment from everyone involved (four workshops a year plus online resources). Over the past six years, The Man Cave has worked in communities across Australia, impacting more than 15,000 boys, parents and teachers through their evidence-based curriculum focused on self, relationships, community and social action.

Top Blokes Foundation

Top Blokes Foundation aims to improve young male health and wellbeing. They deliver social education and mentoring programs with groups of boys and young men over three to six months to increase their resilience, empathy, and respect for self and others, and in doing so work to reduce the rates of suicides, mental health issues, antisocial and risk-taking behaviours.

batyr

batyr is a ‘for purpose’ preventative mental health organisation, created and driven by young people, for young people. batyr delivers innovative peer-to-peer programs in schools and universities that engage, educate and empower young people, giving them the knowledge and skills to lead mentally healthy lives and reach their potential. batyr provides a voice to the ‘elephant in the room’ – mental health – through the power of lived experience story sharing. batyr’s vision is that all young people are engaged in positive conversations about mental health and empowered to reach out for support when needed. By addressing mental ill-health issues in adolescence and early adulthood, batyr reduces stigma, encourages help-seeking and improves pathways to care. This can improve life situations and long-term outcomes in health and well-being, education, social participation and employment.

Kids Helpline (and yourtown)

Kids Helpline is Australia’s only free and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. Since 1991, Kids Helpline’s specialised counsellors have responded to over 8 million contacts, offering practical help and emotional support to children and young people at critical moments in their lives. In 2017, Kids Helpline counsellors answered 157,000 calls, three-quarters of which were from females. Demand was much higher, however, with every second call to the Kids Helpline going unanswered.

One of the organisation’s strategic goals for 2022 is to double the number of calls Kids Helpline answers and to target the service reach, particularly for communities identified as high need – e.g. 28% of all calls come from regional and remote Australia. Since 2013, the number of duty of care interventions due to concerns about the risk of suicide and child abuse has gone up by 40%, highlighting the importance of the Kids Helpline service to ensure that children and young people in crisis can get the help they need.

In addition to Kids Helpline, yourtown runs programs in NSW, VIC, SA, QLD and TAS to tackle some of the factors informing youth at-risk, including mental health, homelessness, education, and youth unemployment (including a specific program for Indigenous young people). A parent support line is also operated in NT and QLD, and a domestic violence shelter is operated at an undisclosed location.

Life Education Australia

Life Education Australia runs empowering programs across primary and secondary schools to promote students’ physical, social and emotional health and well-being. With their iconic mascot, Healthy Harold, and their mobile learning centres, they provide in-school learning for all children. Their programs cover a wide range of age-appropriate topics, including nutrition, physical activity, online safety, bullying, consent, peer pressure, alcohol, drugs and safety.

Schools Plus

Schools Plus is a national not-for-profit that helps children facing disadvantages succeed at school. They do this by empowering teachers in disadvantaged communities with funding, coaching and resources to create lasting change in their schools. Their initiatives are teacher-led and tailored best to meet the needs of students in their specific school.

Student mental health and wellbeing (including resilience) is the number one issue identified by schools and has even more significant impacts on disadvantaged children and Australian Schools Plus studies. It is estimated that poor mental well-being accounts for 10% -25% of the education gap between advantaged and disadvantaged children. The Australian Schools Plus application process (where schools submit their projects of greatest need) opens in July. They expect well-being and resilience projects to again be a high priority within disadvantaged schools.

KidsXpress

KidsXpress provides trauma-focused programs to help children, caregivers and professionals transform the impact of childhood trauma into a life full of hope and a future our children deserve. It was established in 2005 to address the lack of services available to support children living with the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) – childhood traumas such as emotional or physical abuse, neglect, and household substance abuse – all of which are experiences known to have a massive impact on a child’s life trajectory. Through trauma-focused therapy and education, KidsXpress provides mental health support for children aged four onwards.

Gidget Foundation Australia

Gidget Foundation Australia raises awareness of perinatal depression and anxiety and supports the emotional well-being of expectant and new parents to ensure that those in need receive timely, appropriate and supportive care.

Culture is Life

This organisation supports and promotes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led solutions to prevent youth suicide, with a deep emphasis on strengthening the connection to culture and country. This approach recognises that experiences of racism and intergenerational trauma are significant risk factors for the social and emotional well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. In Australia, suicide remains a leading cause of death for young people, and the suicide rate among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remains unacceptably high at more than double the national suicide rate.

Drawing on a growing body of international evidence demonstrating the role of cultural strengthening as a critical protective factor for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, Culture is Life builds awareness and influences public debate to strengthen support and funding for culturally safe initiatives in regional and remote Australia.

The Pinnacle Foundation

This organisation provides educational and vocational support to young adults across Australia where their gender identity, sexual orientation or sexual characteristics have prevented or hindered the achievement of their career aspirations or personal development. Its vision is to empower young LGBTIQ+ Australians to achieve their full potential, thus improving Australian society.

They offer multi-year scholarships nationally to students aged between 17 and 26 to study at public higher education institutions in Australia to achieve educational or vocational qualifications in any profession, trade or the arts. Scholarships may also be awarded to complete year 12 schooling. Importantly, scholars are matched with mentors who share the same academic and professional interests, gender identity, sexual orientation or sexual characteristics. In recipient reporting, 95% of scholarship alumni say the Pinnacle program helped them academically and improved their confidence, while 93% now feel more valued as a person.

Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney

The Brain and Mind Centre (BMC) is a research centre of the University of Sydney that develops novel clinical, online and treatment programs for young people with emerging anxiety and depressive disorders in partnership with local, national and international providers and leaders in youth mental health and online technologies. Other areas of focus are early childhood development and ageing. This well-regarded research institute operating under excellent leadership, continues to contribute to policy change, advocacy and public knowledge about mental health.