April 19, 2024
We are proud to share that we are entering into a new partnership with The Balnaves Foundation. As a leading philanthropic organisation committed to creating a Better Australia, The Balnaves Foundation is supporting batyr with a $1.6 million dollar grant over 5 years. The grant will support a major five-year longitudinal research project which aims to evaluate batyr’s suite of programs, demonstrating the effectiveness of the programs in the long-term, whilst also making a significant contribution to the evaluation of preventative interventions in Australia, which has rarely done before.
The Balnaves Foundation are thrilled to be supporting batyr in this groundbreaking project. Witnessing batyr's unique approach to preventative mental health education, and the profound impact they are having on young people, has consistently inspired us. Our investment in this long-term research, will give batyr the opportunity to produce clear evidence on the value of their preventive and early intervention programs that address the mental health challenges confronting Australia's youth, something we’re incredibly proud to be a part of."
Hamish Balnaves, CEO, The Balnaves Foundation
The project will strengthen batyr’s evidence-base and show how our unique programs are shaping young people's wellbeing. Prior evaluations have shown that our programs create outcomes in the short term:
batyr programs reduce both public stigma (Milton, 2016; Ingram, 2017; Milton et al, 2023) and the typically intransigent self-stigma (Milton & Glozier, 2022)
batyr programs promote help-seeking intention for suicidal thoughts (Ingram, 2017) and show incredible gains in young people seeking help with a 35% increase six months after batyr programs in regional and rural areas (Milton et al., 2023)
This project will be conducted in collaboration with an independent academic research partner, ensuring a rigorous evaluation of our programs' impact over the course of several years.
This momentous $1.6 million grant from The Balnaves Foundation is not just a milestone for batyr; it's a game-changer for the entire youth mental health sector, allowing youth organisations like ours to pioneer research that will shape preventive strategies that actually work for young people for years to come."
Katie Acheson, CEO, batyr
The Project has received endorsement from Sector leaders including; Government personnel, government advisory specialists, researchers and clinical psychology experts.
We extend our gratitude to The Balnaves Foundation for their belief in our vision and the opportunity to undertake this significant research. We’re excited to embark on this journey and look forward to sharing updates along the way. Together we can drive meaningful change and create a brighter future for Australia’s youth.