Our Impact

In just seven years, The Push-Up Challenge has transformed into the largest mental health and fitness event in Australia.

We've raised over $40 million for mental health research, programs and services, with over 400,000 people pushing for better mental health and completing more than 900 million push-ups.

Kicking goals in 2023

Better physical & mental health

Better health and wellbeing for everyone. That’s what we’re about. We know that exercise can give your brain a boost and it's great to see our push-up community feels the same.

99% of participants said they felt fitter and stronger after completing The Push-Up Challenge

97% also said their mood was improved

The link between physical and mental health is strong, with research showing that regular exercise can be as effective as antidepressant treatment for mild-to-moderate depression – so we'll keep pushing towards a more physically and mentally healthy future for all Australians. 

Reducing stigma

When people think about mental health, they can often think of mental illness and the stigma associated. We're here to change that by encourgaing conversations and raising awareness of the mental health issues affecting everyday Australians. 

98% of our participants said that mental illness was destigmatised after completing The Push-Up Challenge. 

Creating connections

93% said they felt connected through taking part in The Push-Up Challenge.   

96% said it made seeking help easier.  

With suicide continuing to be the leading cause of death for young Australians, it’s critical to start conversations in the classroom.

We know that by encouraging younger generations to speak openly and reduce stigma, they can help drive positive change for the future of mental health. So we've been busy engaging schools in mental health awareness, community connection and ultimatley, destigmatising mental ill-health.

We had 339 schools and colleges join the push for better in 2023. Over 31,000 schools participants and 5000 school teams got behind the cause. 

Student Ambassador Program

In 2023, we welcomed over 500 Student Ambassadors, who hailed from every state and territory in Australia for the first time. Our popular Student Ambassador Program continued to help students focus on their mental wellbeing, reduce the stigma associated with mental health challenges and build confidence to talk about mental health with their mates and the community.  

Lucia's story

"The Student Ambassador Program gave me the skills I needed to better support those around me who may be going through a hard time with their mental health. We were also able to build a solid foundation at our school to openly talk about mental health and suicide prevention. ”  

Help where it's needed

The $10million we raised from this year's challenge has made a huge difference to our mental health charities that are supporting people when they need it most.  

The funds raised for Movember are now well on their way to making a difference by supporting pioneering mental health programs like Movember Ahead of the Game, which strengthens the mental health literacy and resilience of young people through sport and interactive workshops.

Thanks to your generosity, funds raised are helping to ensure that Lifeline’s critical support services are accessible to anyone who needs them – anytime, anywhere. Funds have enabled Lifeline to answer over 114,000 potentially lifesaving calls.

Through your fundraising efforts, The Push for Better Foundation was able to deliver on their three key foundations of education, connection, and health and wellbeing and raise awareness of the mental health issues affecting everyday Australians.  

More impact stories