Get Your Workplace involved in One Foot Forward this October
One Foot Forward is a free virtual walking event perfect for everyone - including workplaces big or small.
It's the perfect way to keep your workplace energised, moving and connected, while raising money for Black Dog Institute's crucial mental health research and support services.
Simply register your workplace, and then invite your staff and colleagues to join you and put One Foot Forward for mental health this October.
For any questions or queries about how to register your workplace and set up your teams, contact our workplace support team.
Benefits of taking part in One Foot Forward
Register your workplace for One Foot Forward and you'll engage your staff, improve employee health and wellbeing, stay connected and become part of the conversation around mental health in the workplace.
Engaging your staff.
Invite your workplace to come together this October and take part in something new and exciting. Together, they'll become part of the One Foot Forward community, have fun with colleagues and challenge each other.
Improving employee health and wellbeing, by encouraging your staff to get up and walking!
Mental and physical health are closely connected. Physical exercise is so important to staying happy, healthy and positive! Your staff will love doing something that makes them feel great.
Become part of the conversation around mental health in the workplace.
Mental illness is now the leading cause of sickness absence and long-term work incapacity in Australia. Taking part in One Foot Forward is a fantastic way to change the conversation and encourage your staff to take their mental health seriously.
Keeping your team connected even while working from afar!
With many workplaces now taking up remote working, it's so important to keep your staff communicating and connected. Taking part in a shared challenge is a great way to do this!
You'll be helping create better mental health for all Australians.
Funds raised will help Black Dog Institute put ground-breaking new mental health treatment, education and digital services into the hands of the people who need them most.
Click here to learn more about your impact.
How It Works
1. Sign Up
Register your workplace and choose your fundraising target to achieve during Mental Health Month.
2. Challenge your colleagues
Invite your colleagues to join your workplace and encourage some healthy competition this October!
3. Walk
Take on your challenge at your own pace during October and log your kms on your fundraising page.
Once you register your workplace, you can create teams within that to encourage some friendly competition within your workplace (e.g. departments, branches or regions).
For any questions or queries about how to register your workplace and set up your teams, contact our workplace support team.
"Escient staff threw their support behind One Foot Forward last year. We set up state teams and kept everyone motivated via WhatsApp and Yammer.
Each week we set the teams a challenge - we shared photos of our walking buddies, photos of our feed, shared our favourite podcasts and walk locations.
We exceeded our original fundraising goal and are hoping to smash that out of the park again for 2023!" - Workplace Captain, Escient
Get started
Register your interest now, or get in touch with our Partnerships team who can help you set up your team and get started with your One Foot Forward challenge.
Workplace engagement tips
Once you've registered, here are some examples of what other workplaces are doing to get their staff motivated and engaged for the challenge!
- Encourage walk & talk meetings - Move your weekly WIP/meetings to a location outside
- Offer a Mental Health Day in October or flexible hours for staff taking part in One Foot Forward to get their steps in (e.g. finish ½ an hour early)
- Give away wellness-related prizes for the biggest fundraiser and/or most distance covered
- Employee Dollar Matching – Offer to match your employee’s fundraising efforts made on a particular day throughout October
- Work fundraisers – Host activities that bring people together in the workplace while collecting donations at the same time e.g. Trivia night, bake off & cake sale
- Post on your LinkedIn channels to encourage donations from your partners and other organisations
- Post on your teams channel internally, place posters up around the office and sign-up sheets in high traffic areas to recruit colleagues to join the challenge
