IRIS FOUNDATION

Fostering HOPE, RESILIENCE and CONNECTIONS to reduce the risk of suicide

Read our latest Annual Report

This year has turned out to be the busiest (and toughest) in our history. Click the image to see how Iris Foundation found the silver linings of 2020.

Book now for some unique events!

CBWN is mixing it up with some great events, selling fast. Click the image to join us for a lunch near you, a Mother’s Day charity event at the Davo RSL or a Fleetwood Mac tribute show!

Share a Box of Hope

Looking for a simple, unique way to let someone know they’re important to you? A Box of Hope can show them you care – and start a conversation.

Help improve women’s mental health

Click on the image to find out more about the Debbie Gaunt Foundation, a new local organisation working to raise funds to improve mental health outcomes for middle-aged women.

QPR – Question, Persuade, Refer

Learn how to save a life. Free online training. Three steps anyone can learn to help prevent suicide.

Need help urgently?

Click on the red cross to find mental health crisis support for yourself or someone you care about.

Touch Points: 8 April, 2021

by Adrienne Garside | April 8, 2021 | Mental Health Awareness, News, Newsletters | 0 Comments

Change your mind with gratitude Science has now established that our brains are much more flexible than previously thought. In part, this means we have some control over our thinking habits and the feelings they awaken within us. One simple but effective way to shift...

Touch Points: 1 April, 2021

by Adrienne Garside | April 1, 2021 | Mental Health Awareness, News, Newsletters, Youth Mental Health | 0 Comments

Holding on to hope Maintaining a sense of hope – the belief that people and situations can change – helps us feel motivated and emotionally stable, regardless of external factors. Looking to the future with hope becomes easier if you practise enriching habits every...

Touch Points: 25 March, 2021

by Adrienne Garside | March 25, 2021 | Mental Health Awareness, News, Newsletters, Youth Mental Health | 0 Comments

Change is the only constant Most of us tend to resist change, especially the unexpected kind. Remember though - you always have the power to choose your response. Focus on the actions you can take rather than the emotions you are feeling. Breaking out of unhelpful...

Touch Points: 18 March, 2021

by Adrienne Garside | March 18, 2021 | Lived Experience, Mental Health Awareness, News, Newsletters | 0 Comments

Reaching out is courageous When it comes to mental health, looks really can be deceiving. Social pressure is often exerted on people – especially men – to ‘soldier on’ alone through difficult circumstances. Emotionally isolating yourself often leads to greater...

Touch Points: 11 March, 2021

by Adrienne Garside | March 11, 2021 | Mental Health Awareness, News, Newsletters, Youth Mental Health | 0 Comments

Why empathy matters We tend to think of empathy as ‘walking in another person’s shoes’ to understand their feelings and experiences. Being able to consider the needs and motivations of other people is largely a learned behaviour. It is an invaluable life skill that...

Touch Points: 4 March, 2021

by Adrienne Garside | March 4, 2021 | Mental Health Awareness, News, Newsletters | 0 Comments

Helping introverted kids to thrive While extroverts draw energy from social interactions, introverted children tend to find them physically and emotionally draining. Observe your child’s limits in this regard and check in with them if you’re not sure It isn’t coddling...

Touch Points: 25 February, 2021

by Adrienne Garside | February 25, 2021 | Mental Health Awareness, News, Newsletters | 0 Comments

Leaning in to challenge fear Many of us love a challenge, mental or physical, that makes us feel energised, focused and completely alive. Yet when it comes to the hurdles we haven’t planned for, we tend to retreat into our fears, lean on our vices and slip into...

Touch Points: 18 February, 2021

by Adrienne Garside | February 18, 2021 | Mental Health Awareness, News, Newsletters | 0 Comments

Give a little, get a lot We’ve all heard the saying, ‘it’s better to give than receive’ - now research has proven that giving to others yields huge benefits for your mental health. When you begin to focus on the little things you can do for others, you disrupt the...

Iris Foundation looking ahead in 2021

by Adrienne Garside | February 10, 2021 | CBWN, Cool Connections in School, Events, Fundraising, News, Newsletters, Partnerships | 0 Comments

Like most small community organisations, Iris Foundation works hard to maximise the positive impact created from the resources we have. We continuously review our programs and events to ensure they are COVID-safe, efficient, and worthwhile for all involved.

Budgewoi Tree of Dreams lights up local hopes

by Adrienne Garside | December 9, 2020 | Fundraising, News, Tree of Dreams | 0 Comments

Locals gathered as the fifth annual Budgewoi Tree of Dreams lit up in support of Iris Foundation on December 5.