What’s Happening

The Schools Program took to the North East this month as Julia and Kat presented to Scottsdale High School. They achieved a mammoth task of hosting 6 student sessions in just 3 days, and to top it off they were able to fit a teacher session in there as well. [...]

We are so excited to have the support from the amazing Francesca Collections team this August. This month the Stay ChatTY awareness bracelet comes made for everyone, at $49 each, every purchase sees $20 comes to our organisation. Thank you Francesca for continuing to support suicide prevention here in Tasmania. [...]

This month Netball Tasmania worked closely with Stay ChatTY to hold the very first SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY round in female sport. Thanks to Laura Elliot for driving this state wide event. We had representation in Devonport, Launceston and Hobart where players all wore custom bibs branded with our logo [...]

This month Katie Taylor ran the Glenorchy fun run. She did this to help Stay ChatTY raise much needed awareness around mental health and the benefits of having a conversation. Not only did Katie do an amazing job on the day, but on the lead up to the race raised [...]

Big day for Mitch McPherson this month as he attended the first ever Roses in the Ocean Lived Experience Summit in Brisbane. Close to 200 people from all across the country gathering to share knowledge, experience, ideas, and most of all, love. Here is a snap of Mitch catching up [...]

This month James was invited along to Lauderdale Football Club where an extra special event was held, collaborating with lululemon Australia and New Zealand through Jacqueline Liffiton who put the girls through a stretch down and mindfulness session after the #staychattysportsprogram. As athletes, it’s important to have a clear head [...]

It’s been a pretty cold August I am sure we can all agree. A few weeks ago Mitch was invited to stay the night at the Cradle Mountain Hotel to talk to their staff about his lived experience. Lucky for Mitch, overnight they had a huge dump of snow, so [...]

Our team took some time out this month for a quick trip up to Hobart’s Mt Wellington (clearly couldn’t get to the top). We believe in team bonding, and we know it is key to achieving great results as an organisation. We see ourselves so lucky to work in this space [...]

This month Mitch caught up with the SRC of Howrah Primary school to thank them in person for the money they raised for Stay ChatTY. The SRC had a great idea to have the school wear red and blue accessories for the day for a gold coin donation, $500 to [...]

Early in July saw Clarence Football Club and Lauderdale Football Club do battle for the fourth annual #StayChatTY cup. Both clubs wore specially made Stay ChatTY guernsey’s, and continue to shower our organisation with support. Congratulations to Lauderdale Football Club for claiming the cup this year.

This month marks 5 years since Stay ChatTY became an incorporated association. Working in suicide awareness is certainly at times challenging, but most of the time we feel a strong sense of achievement. Our team are so grateful for the ongoing support and love we continue to receive.

Over the last few months Mitch has developed a great relationship with local morning radio personalities Jimmy and Nath at HIT 100.9. Recently Mitch caught up with the guys to chat about the upcoming Stay ChatTY Ball on the 4th August and that they are going to MC the ball! [...]

Thanks to Harcourts Tasmania for inviting Mitch to share his personal story this morning. Property sales is a high paced, and at times highly stressful environment, so we are grateful that the organisation are putting a focus on their staff’s mental health. #StayChatTY

Over the month of July, Donna Brown from Tasmania has been walking 300kms from León to Santiago. Raising money and awareness as part of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in northern Spain. Today Donna finished her amazing challenge, and in doing so has raised over 3k for us and another [...]

Shout out to Aiden Grace who this month took the dreadlocks off for Stay ChatTY. Thanks to everyone who donated to get the total to $2000. Thanks for the support in raising awareness to an important issue. Looking real fresh now.

Kat Pullen joined Speak up Stay ChatTY and RA this month to work on the School Program with Julia. Kat has worked as a Registered Nurse for five years in mental health and other areas of nursing practice. Kat is excited to work alongside the Stay ChatTy team to promote psychological [...]

Over the past few months the year 12 group at Launceston Grammar have been holding events in a bid to raise funds for our #charity. One event was a night long walkathon, which all students participated in. This month Mitch headed up to attend the assembly and accept a cheque for a whopping [...]

From July 1-16 Donna Brown will be walking 300kms from Leon to Santiago as part of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Northern Spain. Donna has chosen our charity as well as Lend a Hand to Hugo (Tasmanian charity raising awareness to autism) to raise funds for along the way. Donna has [...]

The end of May saw us wrap up our fourth #coffeemonth with our good friends at Banjos. This month we had the privilege of accepting a cheque from the team for a huge $31,570!!! We would like to thank all 39 Banjo's Bakery Cafe stores (Australia wide) that participated again this year. The awareness [...]

This month Mitch had a fantastic day sharing his story with the group of Shiploads Store Captains. The management crew are passionate about breaking down barriers, encouraging conversations, and for their staff to know where to find help when they need it. #StayChatTY is proud to have played a part in helping [...]

This month saw the STNA rally together to help raise awareness and funds for our charity. The idea (thought up by longtime supporter Isabella Pace) was to have all players and umpires don colorful and crazy socks for all games across the June weekend round. The weekend saw so many [...]

IMPACT UTAS is a global health society run by medical students at the University of Tasmania. Annually they hold a quiz night at Hotel SOHO and each year two charities are the beneficiary of funds raised. This year we were lucky enough to be one of the charities chosen. Our [...]

Jimmy was in Penguin and Launceston this month, talking to some young basketball talent from the North and North West Coast. Bringing the conversation about mental health into sporting clubs is so important for good team cohesion. If you are spending multiple nights per week with the same groups of [...]

The team have been busy travelling the state rolling out our Schools Program! This month we visited St Helen’s for an action packed week of awareness raising. The Schools Program helps students understand mental health and recognise signs and symptoms. It also builds their confidence to look after their mental [...]

James kicked off his very first Sports Program presentation with The North Hobart Football Club this month. Sporting clubs are such an important place for a lot of us, they are a place where we can feel valued, and experience a sense of achievement together. The workshop aims to help participants [...]

Australian Cricket Captain Tim Paine showing some #StayChatTY love. It’s getting a bit fresh outside so make sure you get your hoodie orders in. https://staychatty.com.au/product/unisex-hoodie-grey/

The Clarence Football Club U/16 boys launched their fresh guernseys this month. The jumpers (which they will wear all season) proudly display the #StayChatTY and #RAtas logos. Breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health has to be a collective effort by people of all ages. So we are proud of [...]

James and Julia headed north to Parklands High School this month to deliver the #StayChatTY Schools Program. Before the grade 9 students participate in our 1.5 hour program, the team held a 45 minute session with school staff. This process allows staff not only to be upskilled in evidence-based mental health 101, but it [...]

Stay ChatTY is proud to support the upcoming Tasmanian Suicide Prevention Forum. The 2018 Forum took place on Thursday 24 May at the Tailrace Centre, Launceston. The Forum program featured excellent speakers who are leaders in the field of suicide prevention. This was a great opportunity for people working in [...]

Every now and again we receive some great feedback from people we cross paths with from around the state. This month we want to share some recent feedback from a presentation Mitch delivered into a workplace. Stories that make us focus on our own lives and the people we care [...]

Once again our good friends at Banjo’s are helping us to spread our message that having a conversation is vital to our positive mental health. Banjo's has been a huge support of Stay ChatTY and for the fourth consecutive year has hosted the Banjo’s SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY Coffee Month. For the [...]

This month our team attended the special screening of “Suicide: The Ripple Effect”, hosted by the Athol - The Art of Wellness. It was a huge turn out, and all proceeds were donated to Stay ChatTY. The film that follows the story of Kevin Hines who attempted to take his life at age 19, [...]

We recently presented to the parent cohort of St Mary’s College Hobart. Over 40 parents came out to hear Mitch share his story, who then handed over to Julia who spoke about how to best support young people with their mental health. Parents are in a great position to notice [...]

We teamed up with Lululemon to host the second “Here to be” yoga and meditation session. Together and as a community we bring meditation into the lives of those suffering from mental health. Yoga and meditation are powerful tools to unlock real change in people and communities, regardless of where [...]

We are extremely humbled by the work that Red Cross do in order to save lives. Many people across Australia and the world are in need of blood to assist in their recovery, maintain their wellbeing or to save their life. As a team, we are passionate about saving lives [...]

Every year the Year 12’s at Launceston Church Grammar School walk for 24 hours straight on an 80km journey to raise awareness and funds for their chosen charity. This year the students have chosen us as their charity of choice, and aim to raise a massive $30,000 during this event [...]

This month we are excited to introduce our newest team member, James Rice. James will be leading the Stay ChatTY Sports Program, and will be delivering mental health awareness workshops to sporting clubs across Tasmania. James joins us with a background in exercise physiology, and he also works as a [...]

This month we launched our new SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY Sports Program, in collaboration with the Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s Good Sports Program to deliver mental health literacy training to clubs across Tasmania. The Stay ChatTY Sports Program facilitates an evidence-based mental health awareness workshop to club players, coaches and managers. The [...]

For 2018, the Shoreline Plaza have selected us as their charity of choice. Our logo is on entrance doors and we have collection containers in most stores. This is just another way for everyone to be reminded that it is okay to talk. Communities keep supporting us so we can [...]

This month we celebrated Harmony Day, a day of cultural respect for everyone who calls Australia home. Our team truly believes in respect and the importance of being kind to those around us. We encourage everyone to accept others for who they are where they come from and what they believe [...]

We are extremely humbled by The Hutchins School who announced us as their charity of choice for 2018. We were voted in by the Head Prefect Group and we are thrilled that mental health is a main focus for their student cohort this year.

This month we sent Mitch over to Melbourne to deliver his story to the staff at Computershare Abbotsford. Computershare take a lot of pride in the well-being of their staff. By having Mitch share his story, along with our charities key mental health messages, was a great way for them [...]

We teamed up with headspace in Schools TAS to present to the parent community of St Virgil’s College. We had over 50 parents attend to hear a lived experience with suicide and how to support young people with their mental health. Parents are in a vital position to be aware [...]

Neighbour Day is recognised on March 25th each year. At Stay ChatTY we are always encouraging you to check in with those around you, including your neighbours. Strong community connections ensure better relationships with the people who live around us. The theme for Neighbour Day this year is the importance of [...]

Every year the Year 12 cohort at Launceston Church Grammar School walk for 24 hours straight on an 80km journey to raise awareness and funds for their chosen charity. This year the students have chosen us as their charity of choice, and aim to raise a massive $30,000 during this [...]

This month, Ben Hirst completed a gruelling 48 hour run on a treadmill, raising over $8,500 for our charity. He was surrounded by family, friends and people who just simply admired his achievement. Ben first made contact with Stay ChatTY a few years ago, sharing his own past mental health demons [...]

At the end of 2017, two friends took on the almighty challenge of running from Burnie to Kingston Beach to highlight mental health issues in the paramedic industry. This month, Karen Hart and Karen Whelan handed Stay ChatTY an impressive $10,300 cheque raised during their incredible effort. With this money, [...]

Since we partnered with Relationships Australia there have been many positives. One of them has been having Business Development and Research Consultant Amanda French join us as Stay ChatTY team leader. Her work the past three years with us has been enormous, and we owe a lot of our successes to [...]

With an election coming up, we are excited to announce that both the Liberal and Labour Governments have made a promise for our funding to be secured regardless of the result. Under a re-elected Liberal Government, we will receive one million dollars over four years to continue our Schools Program. [...]

This month the Huon Channel Cricket Association (HCCA) held their 3rd annual Stay ChatTY round. All 12 teams donned specially made hats, and fundraised for Stay ChatTY. Well done to Kettering who took out the shield against Margate. Thank you HCCA for the ongoing support and congratulations on another successful [...]

The Tasmanian Police Charity Bike Ride has raised total of $423,000 for Tasmanian charities in the 11 years the event has been held.  This month, they presented cheques totalling $44,000 to both Stay ChatTY and Variety, the Children’s Charity Tasmania following completion of the 2017 annual charity bike ride. The [...]

Congratulations to our founder Mitch McPherson who was asked to be an Australia Day Ambassador this year. Mitch continues to impress us with his achievements and his efforts for Stay ChatTY.

Julia, one of our Project Officers took a well-earned vacation to South Australia recently. She spent time with her family from Canada and relaxed in the sun, but remembered to represent us wherever she went! We are grateful for all of the hard work Julia puts in to our organisation.

Thank you to YMCA Hobart for making us their charity of choice. We appreciate your fundraising efforts.

Throughout 2017, the team at Tas Gas chose Stay ChatTY as their charity of choice. In December they handed Mia and Julia a cheque for $4600 to help further the reach of our work in Tasmania. Funds such as these will allow us to continue to expand on programs that [...]

Thank you to everyone who attended our first “Here to Be” meditation and yoga session last Saturday. Exercise, meditation and taking time for you is such an important element of self care, so we are proud to be hosting events in this space. Thanks to lululemon Hobart, Amy Mclean, Freedom Fitness, Nathan Free and of course [...]

Stay ChatTY ambassador Ben Hirst is well known for coming up with some crazy ways to shine a light on mental health. And he does this to benefit every single one of us here in Tasmania. In 2016 Ben ran from Burnie to Hobart in 3 days and raised over 10k for our [...]

This week we checked in to Fairbrother sites across the state. Spreading messages of hope around mental health and suicide prevention. This photo shows two things we got out of the session... 1. You can set up an audience anywhere. 2. No one sits in the front row unless they [...]

Our Stay ChatTY Haggland has reached Antarctica, and it looks so good! For 7 years this blue beast will roam around on the icy continent. We hope our little pair of shorts spark many conversations, and that it provides a reminder to all that not feeling ok, is ok.

Our newest team members Mia and Julia have hit the ground running at #StayChatTY. Currently they are facilitating sessions with the year 9 and 10 Montrose Bay High students. Grade 9 and 10 students at Woodbridge High School will also be participating in the program before the end of the school [...]

Each Wednesday, sailing members of the Bellerive Yacht Club hold a “Scroungers Cup” for the spring period where they collected all their loose change. They raised a massive $1000 which they kindly donated to SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY. It is organisations like this that let us continue to spread the word [...]

We would like to thank Danny and his staff at Whisk & Co for holding an in house coffee fundraiser for the month of July, with all proceeds going to SPEAK Up! Stay ChatTY. They raised a grand total of $1232, which was a great effort. We would like to thank [...]

This month Mitch McPherson went along and spoke at the annual Banjo's Bakery Cafe conference dinner. Banjos is a proud partner of Stay ChatTY, and have contributed over $90,000 over the past 3 years via the now very successful Banjo’s Coffee Month. We look forward to the future, as we continue to spread positive [...]

As part of a 6 week Environment and Safety Incentive Scheme, partnered contracting firms of Nyrstar made a donation for every environment and safety incident free day they had on site during a recent turnaround project. At the end of the project Nyrstar matched the contributions made. Today we went [...]

This month we officially welcomed a new SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY Ambassador to the team. Tasmanian born, and mental health advocate, Ben Hirst. Ben is an Ultra marathon runner and he has raised over $15,000 for us since he became a supporter in 2015. We look forward to working with [...]