We're making a difference to mental wellbeing, resilience and social connection.
We push for better mental health for all Australians by sharing important mental health facts, reducing stigma, boosting physical and mental fitness, fostering connection, and raising funds for key mental health charities in Australia.
A study by the University of Melbourne has shown that the Challenge can improve mental and physical wellbeing, and that our unique mix of exercise and mental health awareness can help build resilience, strengthen social connections and support healthy habits.
For those struggling with mental health, the Challenge made a big difference by helping to reduce the severity of depression and anxiety.
Since 2017, we've become Australia's largest mental health and fitness event and hit some pretty epic milestones along the way.
1 Bil +
push-ups
completed so far
(yep, that's over 1 billion!)
600K +
participants
have been involved in the push for better mental health so far
$50M +
funds raised
for mental health charities in Australia
(keep scrolling for the deets)
Smashing the stigma
Unfortunately, stigma around mental ill-health is still present. We're here to change that by raising awareness and starting conversations around the mental health issues affecting everyday Australians.
97% of our 2024 participants said that mental illness was destigmatised after completing The Push-Up Challenge
86% had mental health conversations as a result of The Push-Up Challenge
Creating and building connections
The Push-Up Challenge encourages participants to team up with friends, family, colleagues and others in in their lives, which left them feeling more connected in 2024.
89% said they felt connected through taking part in The Push-Up Challenge
95% said it made seeking help easier
Connecting with others helps foster a sense of belonging and community. Plus, it combats loneliness, which is one of the leading sources of poor mental health.
Building connection underpins everything we do here at The Push-Up Challenge. In fact, we were recently recognised at the Telstra Best of Business Awards as the national Building Communities award winner for our work in bringing communities together.
We believe that more connected communities can play a vital role in reshaping the mental health of Australians and we're proud to be part of this push for better.
Better physical & mental fitness
Our mission is to push for better health and wellbeing for everyone. Research shows that exercise can improve our mood and physical health, and it’s great to see our push-up community felt the same in 2024.
99% of participants said they felt fitter and stronger after completing The Push-Up Challenge
94% also said their mood 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.
Empowering students
We know that by encouraging younger generations to speak openly about mental health and lead by example, they can help transform the future of mental health in Australia.
That's why we engage students in mental health awareness, education and advocacy through our Student Ambassador Program.
Over 33,000 students participated in The Challenge
642 Student Ambassadors were empowered to drive positive change in 2024 through training and support
We equipped our Student Ambassadors with the tools and resources needed to encourage their schools and local community to get fit, connect and learn about mental health.
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. ”
Lucia, Student Ambassador - Radford College
Together, we pushed for better in 2024
More than 218,000 Australians took on The Push-Up Challenge 2024 from 5 to 28 June. These legends completed more than 317 million push-ups and raised over $12.3 million for key mental health services and initiatives in Australia. In 2024, participants chose to raise funds for one of our three beneficiaries.
Every 30 seconds, a person in Australia reaches out to Lifeline for help. For 60 years, Lifeline has been connecting with Australians in need through crisis support and suicide prevention services.
Lifeline is available 24 hours a day to listen, without judgement, to any person in Australia who is feeling overwhelmed, experiencing crisis or longs to be heard.
headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25-year olds. Each year, headspace helps thousands of young people access vital support through headspace services in 155 communities across Australia, online and phone counselling services, vocational services, and their presence in schools.
The Push for Better Foundation exists to bring people together to push for better mental health and proudly runs The Push-Up Challenge event.
We believe education is the single most important tool for breaking down the stigma and fostering open conversations about mental health.
Impact stories
Iain's Story
Mackenzie's Story
Rafael's Story
Annie's Story
Serena's Story
Dean's Story
Francis's Story
