2026 mental health awareness days in Australia

Mental health awareness days are powerful moments for workplaces to cultivate culture, reduce stigma, and reinforce psychosocial safety. For leaders, embedding these dates into your wellbeing calendar offers opportunities to proactively support mental health at work, connect your teams, and also promote access to available employee wellbeing services.

Here’s a breakdown of the key mental health and wellbeing days in Australia in 2026 — complete with ideas to activate them in your workplace.

February

Safer Internet Day (10 February)

This day raises awareness of digital safety and respectful online behaviour in professional and personal settings.

Workplace ideas: Host a session on managing digital overwhelm and boundaries, update and/or reiterate policies around respectful digital communication, share resources from your employee wellbeing service related to screen time and stress

World Day of Social Justice (20 February)

This day focuses on promoting fairness, equality, and inclusive participation in all aspects of society, including work.

Workplace ideas: Facilitate a conversation on inclusion and mental health, highlight employee counselling options for marginalised groups, encourage open feedback on psychosocial safety in the workplace

March

Zero Discrimination Day (1 March)

This day encourages respect for diversity and equal treatment regardless of identity or background.

Workplace ideas: offer inclusivity training linked to psychosocial safety, highlight your workplace’s anti-discrimination policies, promote counselling support that respects cultural differences

International Women’s Day (4 March)

This day celebrates the achievements of women and calls for gender equity in every area of life.

Workplace ideas: hold a panel discussion featuring female leaders, highlight support for women’s mental health at work, share resources for carers, working mothers, and gender-specific counselling

Neurodiversity Celebration Week (16-20 March)

This week recognises the strengths and challenges of people with neurodivergent minds and calls for more inclusive environments.

Workplace ideas: provide education on neurodivergent conditions like ADHD and autism, review team workflows to accommodate different communication styles, embed neurodiversity inclusion in your employee wellbeing service

International Day of Happiness (20 March)

This day promotes happiness as a fundamental goal of human life and wellbeing.

Workplace ideas: Launch a gratitude wall or appreciation campaign, encourage mindful breaks and connection activities, share tips for boosting daily mental health and joy

April

World Health Day (7 April)

This global event underscores the importance of physical and mental health in building thriving communities.

Workplace ideas: host a holistic wellbeing workshop, include mental health check-in prompts in staff communications, promote access to health professionals like a GP and psychologist

World Day for Safety and Health at Work (28 April)

This day highlights the need for safe working environments, both physically and psychologically.

Workplace ideas: review your most recent psychosocial risks assessments and management plan, conduct a stress management or resilience training for managers and staff, promote open dialogue around workplace challenges and supports

May

International Nurses Day (12 May)

This day honours nurses and other caring professionals who support health and wellbeing in our communities.

Workplace ideas: celebrate any clinical or care-related roles in your organisation, share mental health resources specific to caregiver burnout

National Volunteer Week (18-24 May)

This week recognises the contribution of volunteers and the impact of giving back on mental health.

Workplace ideas: organise a team volunteer day, offer paid time off for volunteering, invite a credible speaker to talk about the value of giving back and how it helps reduce loneliness and enhance wellbeing

World Schizophrenia Awareness Day (24 May)

This day brings attention to schizophrenia, aiming to reduce stigma and support affected individuals.

Workplace ideas: Educate staff on myths versus facts about psychotic illnesses, reinforce your zero-stigma policy

National Sorry Day & Reconciliation Week (26 May; 27 May-3 June)

These events reflect on past injustices to First Nations people and aim to build respectful, healing relationships.

Workplace ideas: Host a session led by Indigenous speakers, include cultural safety in your team mental health check-ins, support initiatives focused on Indigenous employee wellbeing

June

Infant Mental Health Awareness Week (8-14 June)

This week highlights the importance of mental health in the earliest stages of life, including parenting and family stress.

Workplace ideas: share resources for working parents, encourage flexible leave policies, promote parenting-related counselling options for new parents

Men’s Health Week (8-14 June)

This week addresses the physical and mental health challenges men face, encouraging early support and connection.

Workplace ideas: host an open forum on men’s wellbeing, encourage mental health at work conversations among male employees, offer targeted counselling services

First Responders Day (10 June)

This day honours the mental and emotional strength of emergency service workers.

Workplace ideas: acknowledge and thank any first responder staff, share content on stress and trauma recovery, include stories of resilience in your wellbeing newsletter.

July

NAIDOC Week (5-12 July)

This week celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, history, and achievements.

Workplace ideas: share First Nations perspectives on wellbeing and connection, include cultural training in your employee development program, acknowledge the mental health impact of intergenerational trauma

Birth Trauma Awareness Week (13-17 July)

This week raises awareness of the psychological impact of difficult childbirth experiences.

Workplace ideas: provide resources for expecting and new parents, promote access to perinatal counselling, create a safe space for employees to share family-related challenges.

August

Loneliness Awareness Week & Homelessness Week (3-9 August)

These weeks draw attention to isolation and housing instability, which are two major risks to mental health.

Workplace ideas: encourage connection through group activities, share internal pathways to wellbeing support, host a discussion on housing equity and support services.

International Youth Day (12 August)

This day focuses on the voices, rights, and wellbeing of young people in all environments.

Workplace ideas: spotlight younger team members’ experiences, offer or promote mentoring and growth opportunities, promote youth-specific mental health resources

Bullying No Way Week (17-21 August)

This week tackles bullying and promotes respectful, safe environments in schools and workplaces.

Workplace ideas: revisit workplace anti-bullying policies, hold training on conflict resolution and psychological safety, reiterate confidential counselling and therapy for employees

WEAR IT PURPLE Day (29 August)

This day supports LGBTQIA+ youth and calls for inclusion and pride.

Workplace ideas: Host an event on allyship and belonging, promote access to inclusive wellbeing resources, encourage staff to wear purple and share their support

September

Body Image and Eating Disorders Awareness Week (7-13 September)

This week educates about the complexities of body image issues and disordered eating.

Workplace ideas: run a body-positive campaign focused on self-acceptance, share expert interviews or podcasts on body image and health, highlight employee counselling for food and body-related concerns

World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September)

This day raises global awareness about suicide and how communities can help prevent it.

Workplace ideas: host a session on recognising warning signs and offering support, share key messages from mental health organisations, ensure employees know how to access urgent counselling

R U OK? Day (11 September)

This day reminds Australians to check in with each other and encourage open conversations.

Workplace ideas: organise “coffee check-ins” among teams, train staff in supportive conversation techniques, embed the message into all-manager communications

October

Mental Health Month (1-31 October)

This month-long campaign highlights the importance of good mental health for everyone.

Workplace ideas: launch a wellbeing campaign with weekly themes, invite mental health professionals to speak, promote your employee wellbeing service widely

BPD Awareness Week (1-7 October)

This week raises understanding of borderline personality disorder and the need for compassion.

Workplace ideas: share credible information about emotional dysregulation, offer empathy training to reduce stigma, promote accessible mental health services

World Mental Health Day (10 October)

This day champions the idea that mental health is a universal human right.

Workplace idea: invite a keynote speaker to talk about mental health at work, run a creative initiative like sharing “mental health pledges,” encourage leadership to model openness about mental wellbeing

National Carer’s Week & OCD Awareness Week (12–18 October)

These events support unpaid carers and raise awareness of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Workplace ideas: Provide flexible support options for carers, host an educational session on OCD and its impacts, reinforce that employee counselling is inclusive and accessible

November

International Men’s Day (19 November)

This day encourages conversations around healthy masculinity and mental health for men.

Workplace ideas: highlight stories of resilience and vulnerability, facilitate safe spaces for discussion for male employees, offer wellbeing sessions focused on male mental health

Perinatal Mental Health Week (23-29 November)

This week shines a light on the emotional challenges faced by new and expecting parents.

Workplace ideas: offer access to perinatal counselling and support, share personal experiences from staff volunteers, include family wellbeing in your organisational policies

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November)

This day calls for urgent action to prevent gender-based violence.

Workplace ideas: run training on safe reporting and supportive responses, promote external services and helplines, align this day with your psychosocial safety commitment

December

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December)

This day advocates for inclusion, accessibility, and respect for all abilities.

Workplace ideas: audit your workplace for accessibility gaps, ensure mental health materials are available in multiple formats, celebrate diverse lived experiences

Human Rights Day (10 December)

This day marks the importance of dignity, equality, and the right to mental wellbeing.

Workplace ideas: reflect on the values underpinning your mental health strategy, invite employees to share what dignity at work means to them, recommit to accessible employee wellbeing services for all