Mental health issues and related illnesses have come to the fore in recent times, globally and in Australia, with the government determining that almost half of all Australians aged 16 to 85 years (7.3 million people)  will experience mental illness at some point in their life.
 
As per Beyond Blue, over 75% of mental health issues occur before the age of 25, with suicide being the largest loss of life of young people in Australia. This has led to organizations such as the This is a Conversation Starter (TIACS) a social enterprise with a goal to change the mental health services landscape, making it accessible and affordable and in doing so, reduce the number of suicides in Australia.
 
The TIACS foundation was created by Ed Ross and Daniel Allen, two social entrepreneurs from Brisbane, in order to increase the understanding of mental health, particularly amongst blue-collar workers. Their focus has been on driving a cultural shift around the mental health conversation to provide solutions for individuals seeking help, whilst also helping to remove physical and financial barriers pertaining to access of mental health professionals. 
 
The foundation promotes early intervention and mental health education, helping individuals to understand their own mental health and equip them with the technology and tools to practice mental wellness and access psychological therapy services with ease.
 
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