20 Hours of Silence for Youth Mental Health.
I’m taking on the 20 Hours for 20Talk Challenge.
For 20 hours, I’ll sit in a 2×2 metre square in a warehouse alongside 400 others no talking, no technology, no distractions. Just a chair, a sleeping mat, a journal, water, and food.
On the surface, it’s a challenge.
But in reality, it’s a small glimpse into something far deeper the isolation, the silence, and the weight that many people living with mental health challenges carry every single day.
I’m not doing this lightly.
When I was 15, I reached the lowest point in my life.
I walked into the ocean with the full intent of not walking back out.
That was the depth of where my mental health had taken me.
And yet… I’m here.
Because even in that moment even when everything felt dark and final the truth is this:
you can be something.
That belief is why this matters to me.
We have all been touched by mental health in some way. It doesn’t discriminate. It can be quiet, confronting, and deeply isolating.
And structurally, we still have a long way to go:
- Suicide remains the leading cause of death for Australians aged 15–44
- Only 2% of mental health funding goes towards prevention
That needs to change.
I’m completing this challenge to support 20Talk, a charity focused on prevention making mental health education accessible, relatable, and driven by young people, for young people.
Your support helps:
- Fund Mental Health Maintenance workshops (every $120 supports one young person)
- Expand resources for a growing community of 60,000+ young people
- Deliver large-scale, interactive mental health events
These workshops are designed to equip people with the tools to understand and manage their mental wellbeing before they reach crisis point not after.
Because prevention matters.
Because awareness without action isn’t enough.
This 20 hours will be uncomfortable physically, mentally, emotionally.
But it is nothing compared to what so many people navigate every day.
If sharing this, and sitting in that space, helps even one person feel seen… it’s worth it.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Thank you for supporting this cause.
And if you ever find yourself struggling please know this:
You are not alone.
And you can be something.
