What Makes Activate Mental Health So Special?
- Rahul Seth
- Nov 13
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 13
Between July and September this year, I went through a tough chapter, facing personal struggles that tested my mental well-being for the first time in over five years. During those moments, I questioned the very thing I had poured my heart into: the cause I created and the community I’ve been leading. The question I was trying to answer was whether putting all this effort was “worth it”
Towards the end of this period, I received some reminders of why this community is so special. These came through a mix of events I hosted, attending other events, and working behind the scenes to keep the community thriving, such as managing our corporate governance requirements and volunteer recruitment. The most meaningful part, however, was the support from all the people I've had the privilege to meet through founding and leading this cause. This support included backing me as an individual and helping with my challenges, as well as supporting the group.
This period motivated me to write this blog post. These are the reasons I believe this community is truly awesome.
Diversity of the People involved
My favourite part of running Activate Mental Health events is seeing the diversity of the people who attend. You don't find many social groups that bring together people of different ages, genders, cultures, abilities, sexualities, and other personal traits, all coming together in one place to improve their mental well-being. When I participated in social tennis leagues, it was always the same twenty or so people, all between 20 and 40 years old and from professional career backgrounds. At a typical Activate Mental Health event, you'll see people of all kinds. This is due to the broad definition of the group, easy access to events with low or no financial barriers, and diverse formats.
Diversity of the Events
Activate Mental Health offers a wide range of activities to enjoy. The great thing about this group is that once you get familiar with its ethos, you can try different activities, engage various parts of your brain, and make friends with people you get to know.
Our three main recurring formats are:
- The monthly board games night at the Victoria Park Community Centre on the 4th Saturday of each month
- The TED talk discussion group at the same centre on the second Saturday of each month
- Our Silent Book Clubs, meeting on the 3rd Sunday of the month in North Perth and the 4th Sunday at BOOtoo cafe
We have also established a weekly walking group with the Rotary Club of Northbridge.
Other formats we frequently run include:
- Walking groups
- Pub quiz nights
- 8-ball pool
- Computer games (such as Jackbox games)
- Photography walks
- Writing groups
- Attending community events
- and more...
However, two particular event formats I want to highlight in particular that were started with other volunteers are bouldering and coffee catch-ups
Our weekly bouldering events were established by one of our long-serving volunteers. Bouldering is a form of rock climbing practised on short, challenging routes called "problems," where climbers use only climbing shoes and chalk, relying on thick crash pads for safety instead of ropes or harnesses. When I first saw them being posted in this group, I had the incorrect thought of "I think that seems too physical and challenging for this kind of group".
Now that I look back, I wonder why I had such a negative thought like that. This event has been popular with our 8,000+ members and consistently draws a large attendance. This initiative demonstrated to me that all people are looking for is social connection. It doesn't matter if it’s something as physically challenging as bouldering, or something easier like a walking group or a silent book club. You just need to create a space where people feel welcomed, safe and included.
With similar themes and outcomes to bouldering, we've had a couple of volunteers host "coffee catch-ups". When I founded this group, I believed that you should have some activity to bring people together, even if it's playing Uno. The two volunteers who run this format have had a large number of RSVPs for these events, even though there was no formal activity involved. Like bouldering, this shouldn’t have surprised me. It’s pretty heartwarming to see that people can connect so easily in this group.
Provision of flexible volunteering opportunities
I’m biased here, but I believe Activate Mental Health offers some of the best volunteering opportunities in Perth! Being able to host any social event you like, at a time and place that suits you, lets you enjoy fun experiences through volunteering. I describe the idea of volunteering for our cause as having "friends-on-demand.” With Activate Mental Health, you can have people join you in things you want to do, instead of trying to find members of your friendship circle to attend an event. The only other organisation in Perth that comes to mind offering this type of volunteering is our friends at Befriend Inc.
Access to mental health support outside of standard business hours
Everyone acknowledges the challenges of mental health in the community. However, most services, such as NDIS providers, psychologists, and other allied health services, tend to operate during business hours. The times when most people feel most vulnerable with their mental health are weeknights and weekends, when little traditional support is available.
Currently, most, if not all, of Activate Mental Health’s events take place during these times. It’s fantastic to see our volunteers offering options for people during these periods, even though we can only assist a small number at our events. It would be wonderful to see more mental health initiatives, whether clinical or peer-led, operating during these vulnerable times in the future.
Financial simplicity
As a Chartered Accountant, I can’t go without mentioning this aspect! In the 2024-25 financial year, our volunteers ran 399 events, producing over $65,000 worth of volunteer work to the economy. We only spent just over $8,000 to finance all this! Those numbers are mind-boggling.
Our main expenses are our insurance premiums, electronic subscriptions and rewarding our volunteers. With over 8,000 members and most of our events fully subscribed, Activate Mental Health does not need an advertising budget. One of the reasons I was pretty keen to make this cause a registered charity was knowing how economically efficient this model was, especially when you see the impact we produce on those limited resources.
This is a truly special community
As the leader of this cause, I have been privileged to receive so much. I have poured a lot of my time and energy into this community. Despite the volume of work I’ve put in, I believe that I have received far more in leading this cause than I have given to it. The friendships, experiences, professional skills and connections are priceless, but nothing beats the joy of seeing the impact that our volunteer team has in the community.
Is it worth it?
It truly is! 😍
Here's how you can support Activate Mental Health:
Volunteer for Activate Mental Health 🙋♀️: Click here to find out more about volunteering for Activate Mental Health.
Donate to Activate Mental Health🎗️: If you'd like to support Activate Mental Health in its mission to "Improve well-being through fun and human connection", you can donate to us here.
Sponsor Activate Mental Health 🤝: If you'd like to become a sponsor of Activate Mental Health, please email hello@activatemh.com.au.
About the Author
Rahul Seth CA is the Founder of our cause. A Chartered Accountant by qualification, Rahul has had a diversified career in the public practice accounting, employment services and mental health sectors. Rahul was named WA Volunteer of the Year in 2023 for leading Activate Mental Health. You can connect with him on LinkedIn here.
