Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Reach Foundation?
The Reach Foundation is a not-for-profit, for-purpose organisation dedicated to shaping generations of confident, self-aware and passionate young people.
Through engaging and transformative youth-led workshops, Reach helps build social, emotional and resilience skills among young people so they can navigate life’s challenges and thrive.
To learn more about Reach click here
What is the Reach 7x7 Challenge?
The Reach 7x7 Challenge is a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign held from October 24-30 during Mental Health Awareness Month.
The campaign encourages members of the Reach community to sign up to complete 7 days of unknown mental challenges, to help raise funds and awareness for Reach’s vital youth preventative mental health work.
Participants are asked to engage their networks to fundraise for Reach while undertaking the challenge. They’ll receive a new mental health challenge to complete each day and are encouraged to share their journey online.
Just like our workshops, this is a group exercise - not a solo challenge! In the same seven days, other Australians will be rising to the same challenges, bravely stepping into the unknown together.
It's a mental health movement on mass.
What are the challenges?
The purpose of the 7x7 Challenge is to show courage by entering the unknown - just like we ask young people to do every day in our workshops. For this reason, participants won’t know what the challenges are until they are released each day!
Every mental health challenge is under seven minutes, totally mysterious, fun and rewarding. They require no prior preparation and can be completed from home. The challenges are designed to push you outside of your every day comfort zone, but are totally safe and have been reviewed by Reach's wellbeing team, consisting of psychologists and social workers.
When do I complete each challenge?
Participants will receive an email and text message from Reach each morning during the 7x7, with instructions of a mental challenge to complete.
You are welcome to complete the challenge at any time throughout the day – morning, afternoon, night; whenever you have a spare 7 minutes! However, given there is a new challenge each day, we suggest completing the challenge on the designated day before the next one lands.
Do I have to complete every challenge? What if I don't feel comfortable?
Just like our physical health benefits from exercising each day, our mental health improves when we work on it consistently. The daily challenges are grounded in activities we use in our workshops every day. All 7 are designed to challenge you in some way to foster self growth, and here at Reach we're all about embracing that!
We encourage you try them all across the week, but this is a 100% judgement free zone - we totally get that not every challenge will feel right for everyone, and that’s a-ok.
The important thing is that you're showing up for your mental health each day of the challenge - so you might choose to spend your 7 minutes doing something that feels right for you that day.
How can my workplace get involved?
Getting your workplace involved in the Reach 7x7 challenge is an awesome way to engage staff and encourage positive mental health at work! It’s a great activity you can all complete together while spending time connecting and reflecting on the experience. A great way to encourage staff participation is to offer dollar matching for their fundraising efforts.
We can also track how much your workplace collectively fundraises so you can celebrate in the success and share the results with your internal and external stakeholders!
We’ll provide you with all the resources you need to get staff involved. Just reach out to our Corporate Partnerships Manager Andrew Farina at andrew.farina@reach.org.au and we will support you through the process.
Where do I post my completed challenges?
Each challenge during the Reach 7x7 has been purposely designed to involve posting something online! Posting each day will challenge you to show authenticity by sharing your journey openly and honestly with your supporters.
You’ll be asked to post your daily challenge to your social media and/or your fundraising blog each day.
By posting to social media, you’ll be spreading awareness about the challenge and maximizing your fundraising by reaching as many people as possible. Use the hashtag #Reach7x7 so we can connect our community of participants and share in the journey.
By also posting every day to your fundraising page, you’ll be able to share your own journey with those who have donated to your challenge and those who may not use social media.
Where does the money go?
As a registered not-for-profit, every dollar raised through fundraising initiatives at Reach goes back into running our preventative mental health workshops for young people.
Funds raised through our incredible community of supporters in the Reach 7x7 Challenge will go towards increasing our impact, by reaching more young people through our vital social and emotional wellbeing workshops.
We work with thousands of young people every year in school and community settings, helping them to get the most out of life and thrive. To learn more about Reach’s preventative mental health programs and impact, please visit our website here.
Can I form a team to participate in the challenge?
While the Reach 7x7 will inevitably be a different experience for each individual because we are all unique – this is definitely a group exercise, not a solo challenge!
Across the same seven days, other Australians will be rising to the same challenge by bravely stepping into the unknown together.
So, you’re already part of a team. Just like our workshops, we’ll be right there with you too.
Are there resources I can use to promote my fundraiser?
Of course – each participant will have the opportunity to create their own fundraising page through the 7x7 portal. Once you have created your profile and page, you can share this link on your social media or with anyone in your network to promote your participation and encourage donations.
You can also visit our resources page to download assets to share on your channels, including social media graphics, profile picture filters and cover artwork. These will help you promote your fundraising activity!
How can I get people to donate to my fundraiser?
By asking! Don’t be shy – let your friends, family, co-workers, your local community and broader network know that you are taking on a significant challenge for the betterment of your own mental health, and the mental health of young Australians.
You’ll be surprised by how many people are willing to support your incredible efforts!
Some ideas;
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Pre-promote your participation in the 7x7 Challenge before it kicks off
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Share your fundraising page on your social media accounts asking for support and donations
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Ask your friends and family to share your fundraising page
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Send a staff-wide email letting your colleagues know you’re participating
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Ask your workplace to sponsor you by matching your fundraising efforts dollar for dollar
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Ask local businesses, sporting clubs or community groups to help you fundraise
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Promote your 7x7 page throughout the week by sharing your progress after each challenge
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Don’t be afraid to ask for donations after the challenge has wrapped up – you can still fundraise for a few days after the challenge finishes!
How can someone donate to my fundraiser?
If someone wants to make a donation to your fundraiser, the easiest way is to send them a link directly to your page. By hitting the ‘donate’ button on your fundraising page, the funds will automatically be tallied to your individual fundraising total.
Supporters can also make a general donation to the broader campaign by visiting the Reach 7x7 Challenge homepage and navigating to the ‘Donate’ page in the top menu bar.
We can also track how much your workplace collectively fundraises so you can celebrate in the success and share the results with your internal and external stakeholders!
We’ll provide you with all the resources you need to get staff involved. Just reach out to our Corporate Partnerships Manager Andrew Farina at andrew.farina@reach.org.au and we will support you through the process.
Are donations tax deductible?
Yes – as a registered charity, all donations to The Reach Foundation over $2 are tax deductible.
Can I get a tax receipt?
Absolutely – every donor will be emailed an automated tax receipt via email once they have made a donation online, to their nominated email address.
Where can I access mental health support?
We understand talking about mental health can be challenging and may raise issues for some. If you need any further support or assistance, help is available. Please click here to visit a directory of resources and organisations available to help support you and those around you.
Some ideas;
- Pre-promote your participation in the 7x7 Challenge before it kicks off
- Share your fundraising page on your social media accounts asking for support and donations
- Ask your friends and family to share your fundraising page
- Send a staff-wide email letting your colleagues know you’re participating
- Ask your workplace to sponsor you by matching your fundraising efforts dollar for dollar
- Ask local businesses, sporting clubs or community groups to help you fundraise
- Promote your 7x7 page throughout the week by sharing your progress after each challenge
- Don’t be afraid to ask for donations after the challenge has wrapped up – you can still fundraise for a few days after the challenge finishes!
Need more help?
If you have any further questions or queries about the reach 7x7 challenge, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Fundraising team at fundraising@reach.org.au.
Is there an age limit to participate?
Absolutely not! While Reach’s programs are primarily designed for young people, supporting Reach and taking part in the 7x7 Challenge is open to anyone of any age.
