Michelle Akayan

Michelle is taking on the 20-hour challenge to support youth mental health and raise awareness about the importance of prevention.

20 Hours of No Talk for Youth Mental Health

Some of you have seen my post on social media, about the 20Talkfor20Hours challenge I am doing on the 27 June.

The challenge itself is sitting in a 2x2 square metre space in a cold warehouse somewhere in Alexandria in complete silence with nothing but our essentials. No technology, no watches, no speaking, 20 hours of pure reflection if you like, and really anything else you would like to do to pass the time.

Initially, I thought 20 hours would be easy, but when you start breaking it down, you soon realise how dependent we all have become on technology. One of the first things we do when we wake up in the morning is grab for our phones. Mine will be locked away and I will only be given a journal to write in (if I feel like it). The challenge itself begins at 4am and finishes at midnight.

The reason I've decided to take part in this is simple and extremely personal... there is nowhere near enough support and access to mental health services for the majority of our youth. Having been through mental illness myself and seen the lack of support for our younger generation, I'm hopeful that more funding and awareness is generated towards this cause.

On an extremely personal level, I lost my beautiful niece last year who suffered years of difficulty with mental health issues and saw first hand how little there was available for younger people going through so much angst and turmoil.

My niece was like a ray of sunshine - she was pure joy, but struggled with her mental health constantly. An uphill battle and when I thought things were improving, we lost her, so completely & utterly tragically at 23 years old. This challenge is for my beautiful niece as well as all our young people who struggle mentally on a daily basis.

I know we are living in financially dire times where we are all watching our dollars closely; so asking for a donation feels frivolous and excessive. If there is any amount you feel you could contribute, I urge you to donate it here. Our children and their children need this so much particularly now in this crazy, bizarre world we're all living in.

Thanks for reading and for your generous support.

Michelle x

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 chair, 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!

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Received 5 Donations

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$106.12

Gordon

Good luck 😊

$54.84

Danny

Good on you Mich- how will you stop talking though 😆

$54.84

Stuart William Clare

Respect.

$54.84

Noela Akayan

$28.43

Alanah Fox

Great work Mich!!

$28.43

Kristine Kendrick

You’re awesome! xx

$28.43

Sam Clarke

Best of luck.

$28.43

Fiona Spinks

I love so much that you're supporting Youth Mental Health, Michelle! I'm glad I can donate. Best wishes with the silence challenge. Xo

$28.43

Ben

$28.43

Michelle Akayan

$25

Mikes Taylor

$23.02

Natalie Carpenter

Well done Mich and Good Luck! Nat & Rick

$11.80

Michelle Akayan

20 Hours of No Talk for Youth Mental Health

20 Hours of Silence for Youth Mental Health.

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Gordon

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Stuart William Clare

Noela Akayan

Alanah Fox

Kristine Kendrick

Sam Clarke

Fiona Spinks

Ben

Michelle Akayan

Mikes Taylor

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