Black Dog Institute Raises Awareness of Bite Back with Pivotal Campaign

Black Dog Institute, Australia’s leading not-for-profit facility for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mood disorders, has just launched their new ‘Real Life Lessons’ campaign, the first one in partnership with socially-led creative agency, We Are Social.

The initiative aims to raise awareness of the Bite Back Mental Fitness Challenge, the first online positive psychology program designed to improve the overall wellbeing of young Australians between 13 and 16 years old. The free six-week challenge helps them learn how to deal with stress, set and work towards mental fitness goals, and improve their relationships.

Youth Educators and PDHPE teachers, whose role is often undervalued, can play a pivotal role in helping teens improve their wellbeing and manage their mental health.

The campaign, launching during Mental Health Month, compares the tangible benefits of teaching teens how to improve their own mental health with some of the more ‘academic’ lessons they may learn in other classes, in order to underline the relative importance of building mental health skills.

The thought-provoking campaign will roll out across Facebook and Instagram.

“It’s been such a pleasure working with the amazingly creative and friendly team at We Are Social. We’re so excited to roll out the campaign that the team has put together. It’s eye-catching, witty and engaging and I think that it will have a huge impact on teachers and in turn students around Australia, to build resilience and wellbeing in what has been a difficult year for so many,” says Elise King, project officer at Black Dog Institute.

“We’re incredibly proud to work with the Black Dog Institute to spread awareness of Bite Back, and hope to drive real impact,” adds Suzie Shaw, managing director at We Are Social. “Over the years, with their research, counselling and online tools, they have contributed to saving thousands of young lives in Australia, and we are honoured to support them with important initiatives like this.”