GIVING

WHY DONATE TO MENTAL HEALTH?

We’re all affected by Mental Health. It’s not spoken about much, but usually about one in five of us are experiencing a Mental Health disorder.

This can be improved. By supporting the below peak bodies, you’ll help to create the infrastructure to ensure Mental Health organisations get the support they need.

In doing so, you’re literally helping to make the world a healthier, more productive, friendlier and happier place.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH

Good mental health is a sense of wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem. It enables us to fully enjoy and appreciate other people, day-to-day life and our environment. When we are mentally healthy we can:

• form positive relationships
• use our abilities to reach our potential
• deal with life’s challenges

Overcoming the Stigma attached to mental illness:

Three out of four people with a mental illness report that they have experienced stigma. Stigma is a mark of disgrace that sets a person apart. When a person is labelled by their illness they are seen as part of a stereotyped group. Negative attitudes create prejudice which leads to negative actions and discrimination.

Some key stats on mental health:

• Almost half the total population (45.5%) experience a mental health disorder at some point in the lifetime.
• One in five, or 20% of the Australian population aged 16-85 years, experienced mental disorders in the previous 12 months [of their survey]. This is equivalent to 3.2 million Australians.
• One in 16 (6.2%) had affective (mood) disorders; one in seven (14.4%) had anxiety disorders; and one in 20 (5.1%) had substance use disorders.
• Only one third of people (34.9%) with a mental health disorder used health services for their mental health problem
• Among young Australians aged 12-25 years, depression is the most common mental health problem.
• Around one-in-ten young Australians will experience an anxiety disorder in any given 12- month period.
• At least one third of young people have had an episode of mental illness by the age of 25 years. Mental disorders and suicide account for 14.2 % of Australia’s total health burden – which equates to 374,541 years of healthy life lost.
• Estimates suggest that up to 75 % of people presenting with alcohol and drug problems also have additional mental health problems.
• Reports indicate that up to 85% of homeless people have a mental illness.

RAISING MONEY AND AWARENESS- THE PLAN

The plan is to give by giving. By making Youtube videos and blogs that are interesting, entertaining and useful, I’m sharing my passions with the rest of the world. Greater following will lead to:

• Greater awareness and understanding of Mental Health
• Increased benefit to sponsors and therefore larger donations
• Even more sharing and therefore more awareness and donations from the wider community

WHERE DOES THE MONEY  GO?

100% of Donations go towards Mental Health:

• Mental Health Australia (MHA) for donations from Australia
• European and other Mental Health Organisations on a per challenge/campaign basis
• PR related costs
• Transaction fees (1.7 or 2.9%, which is as low as we could do)

What I’ll pay for:

Everything else (if you want to help with costs there is a Travel Fund):

• Transport to Europe (flights) and travel within Europe
• Entry fees for activities, races and events
• Food, drinks and personal items
• Gear and equipment including for photography, videography and lighting
• IT (websites etc) and telecommunications
• Insurance etc

MENTAL HEALTH AUSTRALIA

Mental Health Australia is the peak charity organisation representing the mental health sector in Australia. They represent national service providers and advocacy organisations like Beyondblue, Headspace, Lifeline and Reachout, while also facilitating a voice for local service providers and people who live with mental illness.

The money raised by this event will go towards broadening their work to redesign the mental health system in Australia. The current mental health system is an ad-hoc patchwork of services and systems, run by people with good intentions, but insufficient resources and funding.

The outcome is millions of Australians without adequate help and support. This leads to unemployment, discrimination, homelessness and, in too many cases, suicide and self-harm.

Mental Health Australia is working directly with governments and the people on the ground to design and build a better mental health system, where everyone receives the appropriate help they need, when and where they need it.

This work will help millions of Australians, and change lives for the better.

PR RESOURCES

If you’d like to help with publicity or know a potential sponsor, please find the following PR Resources, including Press Releases, Images and Video, Sponsorship/marketing proposals and positions required.