This year about 300 people will band together for an epic movement challenge to help fight for youth mental health. Photos: Thomas Lucraft.
For the first time, Kulture Break’s 24-Hour Movement Challenge is expanding beyond the corporate sector to the wider community, stretching the organisation’s reach for its only annual fundraiser to help more school students with vital mental health and wellbeing programs.
So far just shy of 300 people across 11 corporate and two community teams have taken on the challenge, with a goal to raise $140,000 – more than its previous two years combined.
The challenge, which supports Kulture Break in meeting its annual target of reaching 500 students a year across 20 schools, has also attracted its first virtual interstate participants.
“Word is getting out,” Kulture Break founder and CEO Francis Owusu says.
“I think everyone sees the importance of mental health; in particular, our message around the early intervention component, because statistics show that 75 per cent of all mental challenges occur in a young person by the age of 25, and 50 per cent are established by age 14. These young people end up in workplaces where our corporate participants employ them, so this is a whole-of-community issue.
“Every 24 hours a young person takes their life. We know we really need to be getting in early to help them build the tools they need to enhance their mental health and resilience.”
Each team has pledged a minimum of five participants moving in one-hour sessions of machine exercises, bodyweight resistance exercises, strength training, team challenges, dance and walking non-stop over 24 hours – all under the watchful eye of professional trainers and St John’s Ambulance staff.
With teams of over 20 each, most participants will move for an average of three hours during the challenge, save for a “crazy few” who have pledged to move all 24 hours, including Francis for his third consecutive year.
“The first time was the toughest,” Francis explains.
“About 12 hours in, I wanted to give up. Then I reminded myself this is what young people struggling with their mental health feel like, and if they can show up to school even though they’re being bullied, rock up to work even though they’re struggling through suicidal thoughts, we can push for them.”
This year, the ‘wellness tent’ will also be introduced, where participants can take their breaks and, if they need to, consult with Move Happy physiotherapists, who have generously donated their time.
In previous years, 2600 Crossfit donated their equipment for the event to be run offsite. This year, the event will be hosted in their state-of-the-art gym, which is a massive boon for event logistics.
It follows the loss of two members of the 2600 Crossfit family to mental ill health struggles in as many years.
“Unfortunately, mental ill health can touch all communities,” Francis says.
“Kulture Break is really invested in schools. Our school resilience program is based on the four Cs that form a scaffolding to help build strong, resilient young people – connection, confidence, continuous learning and contribution.
“The 24-Hour Movement Challenge helps us bring that to as many young people as we can.”
To donate to the cause, visit the Kulture Break 24-Hour Movement Challenge.
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