What accompanies you, wherever you go, 24/7? Other than the memes that live rent-free in our heads (shout-out if you have a remix of a few of them replaying CONSTANTLY). It’s our mental health! Throughout every challenge and unforgettable time, our minds are always experiencing the world with us - duh. But, we have to address the elephant in the room because, realistically, how often do we really talk about it or confront our mental issues? According to batyr, definitely not enough. Especially amongst our youth.

About batyr

batyr, pronounced baa-teer, is a preventative youth mental health organisation that aims to reduce stigma through sharing lived experience and peer to peer education. And the best part about it? It is created and driven by young people, for young people. They pride themselves upon being a preventative mental health organisation - which basically just means they’re keeping young people from reaching crisis point! batyr supplies the shields & swords, so that you can be the strongest warrior around!

This company was launched in 2011 by Sebastian Robertson who, like a lot of people his age, felt extremely frustrated and isolated whilst studying at university. As he grew tired of suffering in silence, he decided that it was time to engage in open dialogue about mental health in order to better both his and his peer’s mental wellbeing.

Did you know? Out of 30 students in Australia, only 2 of the 7 dealing with a mental health issue will actually reach out for help. This is largely due to the stigma that still remains around these issues, which batyr aims to get rid of.

What Do They Do?

batyr is here to reduce the stigma that’s still prevalent in our society by engaging in consistent conversations that surround the issue. ‘Cause we ALL know that tea never stays as hot when it’s talked about DAILY. Stigma is not IT, and definitely shouldn’t be in this season or any other - it’s time to change that mindset ASAP.

batyr is here to help create communities that support the mental health and wellbeing of our youth. This is achieved through their 3 key values;

Engage

Young people talk to young people about their mental health and wellbeing, it’s as real as it can get.

Educate

Their team travels around Australia to deliver workshops and programs to share their lived experiences.

Empower

They give young people the necessary knowledge and skills in order to lead mental fulfilling and healthy lives.

Where Do I Come In?

We’re so glad you asked, we weren’t kidding when we said they really are led by people like you. You can register your interest, via their website, to share your mental health story or to become a speaker. Become involved by joining a fundraiser or by attending one of their events. Or, better yet, let your leadership teams at school or university know that you want batyr to come to you. And if you want some personal guidance, cruise through their informative website and try downloading their app.

It’s time to give the elephant in the room the voice it deserves.

UNiDAYS is proud to support batyr. Head to https://www.batyr.com.au/ to find out more about the great work they’re doing.