Ahead of World Mental Health Day on October 10, we want to hit you with a pretty cool initiative we’ve come across that’s definitely worth your attention.
If you’ve got your finger on the pulse, you’ve probably already heard quite a bit about KidsXpress but if you haven’t, let us get you up to speed. The charity is equivalent to that mate of yours that everyone loves and who is always doing good—the crew behind this one are basically on a mission to raise awareness that half of all mental health conditions in Australia have started by the age of 14 and ensure that kids are getting the help they need.
In Australia, we already know that over 40 per cent of people (a whopping 8.6 million people) aged 16-85 have experienced a mental health disorder at some stage in their life but children and young people are less likely than any other age group to seek professional help.
Having launched back in 2006, KidsXpress kicked-off an Aussie-first therapy program known as Expressive Therapy. Combining bits of psychology and creativity, the program aims to promote emotional growth and healing for little ones who need the support. It means a whole lot of expressive therapies like art, music, play and movement to help release trauma, overcome anxieties and assist in the awesome ability of the brain to change itself (a thing we like to call ‘neuroplasticity’).
And the proof is really in the pudding for KidsXpress, in 2022, 3600 students were reached by the charity through its School Partnership Program and over 90 per cent of kids who have been involved have said they’ve seen a positive change in themselves after attending KidsXpress.
If you’ve been looking for a good cause to get behind, KidsXpress should be top of your list. You can make a one-off donation right here, commit to regular giving right here or go really above and beyond by kicking off your own fundraiser for the program over here.
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Image credit: Urban List