Ian Thorpe AM challenges Aussies to swim in support of youth mental health this March in Reach Out’s Lap of Life initiative.
Ian is a Board Member of Australia’s most accessed online mental health service for young people, ReachOut, is calling on people across Australia to jump in the water in March.
Laps for Life is a particularly significant cause this year with young people’s mental health being heavily impacted by COVID-19 restrictions.
Ian Thorpe AM said that now is a vital time to get involved in this important cause.
| “The mental health of young people across Australia has been profoundly impacted by issues such as COVID-19 lockdowns, high unemployment levels, financial stress and uncertainty about the future, and as we move into 2021, ReachOut continues to support more young people across Australia than ever before,” said Ian. “Despite the country wide lockdowns, the Laps for Life community swam more than 35,000 kilometres in 2020. An incredible achievement. “This year, I’m challenging everyone to help us smash that record by jumping in the pool or the ocean and get swimming to raise funds to support our young people. By joining Laps for Life you really are swimming to save lives by helping to improve youth mental health and reduce suicide.” And let’s face it what better way to improve mental health than to jump in the water and swim. |
To register to take part in Laps for Life, visit: lapsforlife.com.au.
For more information about ReachOut, visit ReachOut.com and ReachOut.com/Parents.
Join the journey and stay connected by following our socials. We’re @LapsForLife.Aus on Facebook and Instagram.
Training tips from Thorpie: https://www.lapsforlife.com.au/preparation/thorpies-training-tips
Key statistics
● ReachOut is Australia’s most accessed youth mental health service, with more than 3.6 million Australians turning to us for information and support in 2020.
● One in four people in Australia aged 14–25 live with a mental health difficulty.
● 70 percent of those living with a mental health difficulty don’t get the help they need.
● Suicide remains the leading cause of death for young Australians, which means that more young Australians die each year by suicide than in car accidents or from cancer.
Picture credit: Cliff Kent
