I’m going to be silent for 20 hours.
Yes, you heard right.
So… if you have ever thought, “Jesus Christ, I would pay good money for Jo to shut up” this is your moment.
Put your money where my mouth isn’t.
I’m taking part in 20 Hours for 20Talk this December, spending 20 hours in silence to raise money for youth mental health.
I could probably write a lot about what twenty hours of silence might mean for me, whether I’ll struggle, whether I’ll love it… who knows. Truthfully, I have no idea.
And for once, I’m quite happy not to know.
What I do know is why I said yes.
Mental health touches all of us.
And young people are carrying a lot.
They deserve places to talk, tools that actually help and support that meets them where they are, as they are, before things get too much.
20Talk exists to do some of that work and I’m incredibly proud to put my hand up and help raise money for it.
So for twenty hours, I’ll sit down and shut up.
If you can sponsor me, I would genuinely appreciate it more than words.
Big donation, small donation, spare-change donation, “I just want proof Jo can actually do this” donation. Every bit helps.
Please don’t ever feel like what you can give is too small to matter.
And if donating isn’t possible, sharing this helps too.
I have some ridiculously beautiful people around me and I know how lucky I am in that. The messages, the encouragement, the people who show up, the people who share things, donate, check in, laugh with me and back the slightly strange things I decide to do… I feel all of it.
I love you lot.
Truly.
Thank you for supporting me, and more importantly, for supporting something that matters enormously.
Twenty hours.
(Really?! I hear you say?!)
Yep.
Wish me luck.
20 Hours of Silence for Youth Mental Health.
I’m taking on the 20 Hours for 20Talk Challenge which will see me sitting in a 2×2 metre square in a warehouse, alongside 400 other participants, with no talking and no technology for 20 hours. All I’ll have are the essentials I bring with me: a sleeping mat, journal, water, and food. No distractions.
This challenge is a small glimpse into the isolation and struggle that someone with mental health challenges might feel every day. I know it will be tough - physically, mentally, and emotionally - but it’s a challenge I’m taking on to stand in solidarity with those navigating these experiences.So why am I doing this?
We have all been touched in some way by the reality of mental health. It can be dark, lonely, and confronting.
Structurally, the statistics are still alarming:
- Suicide remains the leading cause of death for young people aged 15-44.
- Only 2% of mental health funding goes towards prevention (Mental Health Commission 2022).
I’m completing the 20 Hours for 20Talk Challenge to help turn these statistics around. Your contribution goes towards 20Talk’s relatable prevention campaigns. They are a mental health charity that makes education cool and accessible, for young people by young people. Your generous donations go towards:
- Every $120 puts a young person through a one-day Mental Health Maintenance course
- Expanding 20Talk’s online resources and 60,000+ social media community
- Running large-scale interactive mental health events'
What is Mental Health Maintenance?
Mental Health Maintence (MHM) is a free, one-day workshop designed with industry experts to help individuals better understand and engage with different areas of their wellbeing, as well as learn effective ways to monitor them. MHM is designed to support people by equippig them with the knowledge and tools to maintai their mental wellbeing before reaching crisis point. By improving mental health literacy, removing harmful stigma, and encouraging professional help-seeking, this workshop hopes to prevent people from reaching crisis in the first place. To learn more, please visit www.20talk.com.au.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for donating to the cause. Hopefully this small challenge can help change someone’s life.
If you ever need to chat, I’m always here. Love you all and thanks again!
Thank you to my Sponsors
$256.55
Nikolaos Staikos
$163.43
James Goodhew
$110
Adam Jones
Good on you, Jo!
$106.75
Art Fallon
All the best on your journey!
$106.75
Boyd Roberts
Good on you Jo! :)
$106.75
Anonymous
Go you!
$106.75
Terry
What a great idea & cause, I have no doubt you can do it 😊
$106.75
Nathan Cahill
$104.35
Gareth David
Good luck with it Jo!
$100
Beck & Craig Freeman
20 hours…..wow! I think you’ll smash it out, strong mind ❤️ you’ve got this babes, we believe in you 🙂x
$55.95
Diane Hawtree
Fingers crossed. Love you
$55.95
Anonymous
$55.95
Richard Lees
$55.95
Hailey Cavill
Good on you babe! X
$55.95
Dom Mazza
all the best Jo !!
$55.95
Denis Murphy
$50
Sarah Patterson
Good luck sis! x
$50
Abhi
Good luck Jo!
$50
Anthony
Congrats Jo....
$50
Anonymous
Unexpected yet not surprising, proud of you little hobbit.
$45.30
Nasey John
Good luck 😉
$28.81
Helen Hislop
Love always Jo 💋💋💋
$28.81
Anonymous
$28.81
Crystal Freeman
Love you, Jo!! You’re such an inspiring person, I love to see the things you are doing in life!
$28.81
Jim Brown
$28.81
Samay Parikh
Let’s go Jo!
$25
Mehul
$23.81
Rob Ogle
20 for 20....
$20
Hayd
$20
Melissa Williams
Good luck Jo x
$20
Dan
Good luck shutting up 😜
$10
Adam
Go Jo 😌
Wonderful cause. Thank you 🙏