Quarter 3, 2025 - Impact Update

Over the last 10 weeks, our programs team reached over 10,000 young people across QLD, NSW, ACT, SA and VIC. After seeking the programs, more than three quarters of students said they felt more equipped to support a friend experiencing mental ill-health - a reminder of the incredible impact that sharing safe lived experiences can have when it comes to destigmatising mental ill-health and increasing help-seeking amongst young people and their communities.

• In Queensland, we headed across Townsville to deliver mental health education, as well as to students 39 floors up at StudentOne Accommodation - possibly our highest program delivery to date!
• In South Australia, we also delivered programs to students at Parafield Gardens and Port Adelaide.
• In New South Wales, we delivered programs far and wide across the state! We reached school students and teachers across metro Sydney, including at our partner universities, and also visited schools and campuses regionally including Merriwa and Dapto.
• In Victoria, we delivered programs across the state, including at Swinburne University of Technology, and including at school in Geelong, Casey, Epping and Kew. 

After the programs, students shared:

“I will be more mindful of the emotions I have been struggling with. The storyteller’s story changed my view of my own suicidal thought and hopes.”

“I’ll feel less embarrassed to seek support. Not try to "go it alone" if I need help, and know that it’s OK to ask for help. The storyteller’s story was so encouraging - thank you!”

“I would make sure I'm in a space where I can be the best support possible, as the facilitator said, you can't pour from an empty cup!”

At 4 of our university programs, all students also rated our engagement, our stories and our peer-to-peer approach at 100%. This feedback is more than just a number - it shows that young people connect deeply with the way we deliver our programs. When students feel engaged and see themselves reflected in real stories, the message lands, stigma breaks down, and help-seeking becomes more likely.

This quarter, we trained 17 young people through 3 free Being Herd workshops, empowering them to share their lived experiences in a way that is both safe and impactful. Some of these young people will go on to share their stories of hope with thousands of students across the country as part of our batyr@school and batyr@uni programs. 

“Feeling so grateful that I was able to take part in the Being Herd workshop. I now have a deeper understanding of how to go about talking about my personal lived experiences with others. The facilitators and other young people created a sharing space that was positive, respectful and safe. I left feeling empowered and inspired to make positive changes to the world!”

- Being Herd Participant, Sydney

Along with our workshop delivery, a group of storytellers and National Youth Advisory group members participated in youth insight sessions with The Archewell Foundation where they discussed young people’s experience with social media, digital technology and AI. Their insights will be included in The Archewell Foundation’s annual Youth Insights Report so keep your eyes peeled for that!

Plus our storyteller Alex featured in a film titled Global Youth Vision for Mental Health and Wellbeing in 2050 that was shown as part of Sue Baker’s (Changing Minds Globally) keynote presentation at the TheMHS conference in Brisbane.

This quarter, we were proud to show up in community spaces across the country to spark conversations and raise awareness around mental health. On the Central Coast, we headed to NAIDOC Week celebrations and connected with young people during the school holidays at Central Coast Council’s Youth Day Out, as well as joined students at Lake Munmorah High School for their Wear It Purple Games Day. 

We also headed to the Canberra Careers Expo to provide students and teachers with free mental health resources, and hosted the Chill Out Zones at the annual SMASH Anime & Manga Convention in Sydney.

We’ve also continued the conversation online, engaging with our community on Instagram, Youtube, Pinterest and TikTok to reach even more young people where they are.

At our partner universities, we continued to embed mental health support into student life. We welcomed new students at Orientation Week events at UTS, Swinburne and the University of Sydney. We also engaged postgraduates at USYD’s Honours and Networking session and connected with future researchers at the UTS's HDR Expo. To mark RUOK Day, our teams joined events across USYD, UTS and Swinburne, encouraging open conversations and reminding students that help is always available. These events provided valuable opportunities to engage directly with students, share resources, and remind them that support is always available.

In September, 25 incredible ANU students took on Civic2Surf – a relay-style run from Fellow’s Oval at ANU to Bong Bong Racecourse in Bowral – raising more than $2,200 for batyr. 

They were joined by batyr Founder (and ANU alum!) Sebastian Robertson, who shared the story of how Civic2Surf first began back in 2011 to help launch batyr, as well as Eliza, one of our inspiring storytellers, who shared her lived experience with the runners.

Now in its second decade, Civic2Surf remains a completely student-led initiative – a powerful reminder of the impact of community-led fundraising in breaking stigma, sparking conversations, and raising funds to support young people across Australia.

Our amazing community came together at the iconic TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS, where we were proud to be a Gold Charity Partner.

A huge thank you to the 30 dedicated runners who laced up and took on the challenge for batyr, and to all the generous donors who backed them, together raising an incredible $139,522!  Every dollar raised and each story shared makes a real impact – helping us continue delivering programs that equip young people with the skills and confidence to look after their mental health.

On the day, we had more than 50 incredible volunteers out on the sidelines, cheering our runners on and keeping them hydrated at the batyr water station. Even batyrie joined in the fun, lifting spirits and spreading smiles as thousands of runners passed by.

We’ve partnered with Healthy North Coast PHN to create a co-designed social media campaign built by young people. This campaign takes the voices of young people through consultation, ideation, and creates what they say is important to see on social media for the North Coast Region. 

We’ve been running consultations with young people from across the Northern Rivers and North Coast to let them have their say in developing a social media campaign designed to reduce stigma and encourage mental health wellbeing in the region, and have unpacked some great insights. 

If you’re based in the Northern NSW and would like to be involved, Participants will be reimbursed for their time, and will have the opportunity to be involved in the project across the creation of the social media campaign - so anyone with skills such as photography and videography, editing, an interest in marketing, or other similar skills are highly encouraged to express interest! 

This quarter, batyr launched an exciting new partnership with Pinterest to support young Australians’ mental health. Together, we’re delivering relatable stigma-free content directly within a platform already used by young people for inspiration and calm. This collaboration is designed to boldly reimagine how mental health support is delivered to young people by meeting them where they already are - online. Recognising that digital platforms play an increasingly central role in young people’s lives, this partnership invests in scaling batyr’s digital innovation alongside its face-to-face programs, creating a truly hybrid model of impact.

This quarter, we continued to amplify the voices of young people in key government and sector conversations. Two of our storytellers, Nicholas and Varsha, took part in a roundtable with Minister Rose Jackson at Parliament of NSW, where they shared their lived experiences and perspectives on mental health alongside a small group of young people. Our Youth Advocacy Lead, Abi, also spoke on a panel at ReachOut’s All In staff development day, emphasising the importance of meaningful youth participation in shaping policies and services.

Alongside these opportunities, we engaged directly with decision-makers to discuss batyr’s work in their jurisdictions and explore future outcomes for young Australians. We also made formal submissions to the Productivity Commission’s Review of the National Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Agreement and the NSW Mental Health Commission’s Strategy for Mental Health and Wellbeing, where we highlighted the urgent need to reduce stigma, prioritise prevention and early intervention, integrate services, strengthen the peer workforce, and ensure young people’s lived experience is embedded at every level of decision-making.

Want to get involved? There’s plenty of ways you can help us in our mission to ensure every young Aussie can lead a mentally healthy life. Shop our range of batyr merchandise, learn to share your story safely at a FREE Being Herd workshop, or book one of our newly updated batyr@school or batyr@uni programs for 2026!

If you need mental health support, there’s always someone to lean on - find a free, confidential support service below.