Social enterprises helping with mental health and wellbeing
In New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, a compassionate movement is underway, driven by social enterprises dedicated to mental health and overall health and wellbeing. These organisations are at the forefront of providing vital support, fostering well-being, and building resilient communities. They demonstrate that business can be a powerful force for positive change, offering innovative solutions and a helping hand to those who need it most.
Join us as we celebrate and highlight some of these inspiring enterprises.
Photo credit: Goanna Academy
Grow Your Mind
Based in: Bronte, NSW
About: Grow your Mind is a mental health social venture. Its reason for being is to inspire, engage, and connect with schools and families to learn ways to be and stay mentally from a young age. Poor mental health doesn’t discriminate and neither should mental health education. At Grow Your Mind it believes that mental health is not just the presence or absence of a diagnosable mental health condition, but something it all has and can all learn to look after. With 50% of all serious mental health conditions beginning before the age of 14, it is key to start teaching kids about their brains, emotions, and mental health from a young age. Prevention is easier than cure.
Visit their website: https://growyourmind.life
Goanna Academy
Based in: Sydney, NSW
About: Its vision is to be the champion of evidence based mental health for people who need it most. It exists so that no person will suffer alone. It delivers Australia’s first indigenous owned and designed preventative mental health, suicide prevention and wellbeing programs in schools, workplaces and communities in need.
Visit their website: https://goannaacademy.com.au
It Takes a Team
Based in: Newcastle, NSW & Sydney, NSW
About: It Takes a Team provides mental health support and community programs for young people, fostering resilience and connection through various initiatives.
Visit their website: https://ittakesateam.org.au
Burn Bright
Based in: Sydney, NSW
About: Burn Bright is a social enterprise that aims to ignite potential in young people through leadership programs and initiatives, fostering resilience, well-being, and positive social change.
Visit their website: www.burnbright.org.au
Wellbeing By SOTA
Based in: Belmore, NSW
About: Wellbeing By SOTA is a social enterprise designed to help you improve your overall wellbeing. Its program is delivered to groups in corporate or community organisations and available to individuals who are ready to join a group. It’s designed for people who have the desire to learn practical skills for growing and thriving in life. The journey is an ongoing process of self-discovery and growth, leading to a deeper understanding of yourself and your place in the world. Its programs is delivered in various artforms, one being the use of African Wax fabrics (aka Vitenje). Some of its products are purposefully created to help you practice simple mindfulness activities. They also invite you to celebrate the African heritage and foster diversity in Australia.
Visit their website: https://vitenje.com/
Community Flower Studio
Based in: Willoughby, NSW
About: The Community Flower Studio Inc. is a social enterprise that supports young people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds through workshops and mentoring programs. It contributes to building community resilience and promoting mental health. The studio adopts a co-design and co-produce model, involving young people aged 11-25 in facilitating workshops, such as 'Flower Crown Workshops'.
Visit their website: www.communityflowerstudio.org
Applied Recovery
Based in: Sydney, NSW
About: It is breaking down barriers to accessing healthcare (including socioeconomic, geographic and stigma related barriers that stop individuals from seeking the help they need), through delivering high quality person centred, clinician-led services fully via telehealth and underpinned by supporting technology for clients. It is improving the health and wellness of individuals struggling with addiction and making withdrawal and recovery services accessible to more people who need them. It is successfully detoxing 10,000 Australians and setting them on the path to long term recovery.
Visit their website: https://cleanslateclinic.com
Catalyst Living Skills
Based in: Googong, NSW
About: Catalyst Living Skills combines therapeutic counselling with outdoor, animal, and nature-based activities to help children and adults with disabilities build skills, resilience, and independence.
Visit their website: https://catalystlivingskills.com.au
Sing High Sing Low
Based in: Canterbury, NSW
About: To bring people together, addressing the loneliness epidemic and mental health crisis, by connecting people through Natural Voice group singing. To give people across all ages & demographics a tool for self regulation and connection. To fast track connection in order that it may unite and have meaningful conversation & action around the current societal and planetary "Big Issues".
Visit their website: https://singhighsinglow.com.au
Velocity Empowerment
Based in: Ultimo, NSW
About: Tackling gender-based violence through Emotional, Mental, and Physical Self-Defence. It runs prevention and early intervention programs with universities, community groups, and workplaces to empower at individual, organisational, and community levels.
Visit their website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/velocity-empowerment
Social enterprises that fund mental health initiatives
MOOD Tea
Based in: Pyrmont, NSW
About: It supports charities that deliver programs to tackle youth suicide.
Visit their website: https://mood.org.au
Mental health and wellbeing for workplaces
The Formative
Based in: Newrybar, NSW
About: To support purpose-led leaders and organisations work toward building a healthier, more equitable world. It provides workshops, strategic services and mentoring.
Visit their website: https://theformative.com.au
The Oranges Toolkit
Based in: McMahons Point, NSW
About: The Oranges Toolkit offers evidence-based, measurable and practical learning programs to build resilient, change-ready workforces. When people feel at their best, they perform at their best! Its engaging workshops, virtual learning and coaching services are based on the latest research in positive psychology, neuroscience and emotional intelligence. All profits go to Camp Quality to support kids facing cancer in Australia.
Visit their website: http://www.theorangestoolkit.com.au
These social enterprises are more than just businesses; they are beacons of hope, community pillars, and innovators. By supporting them, whether through engaging with their services, volunteering your time, or spreading the word, you're investing in a more compassionate and mentally resilient future for NSW and ACT.Let's champion these incredible organisations and help their impact grow!
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