Partner Spotlight: Beyond Blue

Peloton partners with Beyond Blue to help support peer-to-peer online services for all people in Australia

In July 2021, Peloton expanded its global presence bringing Connected Fitness to Australia, and building a community of inspired people to help them be the best they can. 

As part of our ongoing commitment to put members first, and as we continue to live by our company values to operate with a bias for action, we are excited to announce our latest global Pledge partner and the first for Australia, Beyond Blue - Australia’s leading and most visited mental health organisation, focused on supporting people affected by anxiety, depression and suicide.

At Peloton, we believe that everyone deserves access to mental health resources. Working together with Beyond Blue, we’re committed to dismantling systemic barriers to access mental health support, helping improve the lives of all people in Australia, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and those from multicultural communities. 

Today, we’ll learn more about the work of Beyond Blue and our latest Pledge partnership. 

Peloton: How would you describe your mission? 

Beyond Blue: We envisage an Australia where people have the knowledge, skills and confidence to protect, maintain and improve their mental health. To enable this, we actively connect people with evidence-based products and services to support improvements in mental health literacy, greater knowledge of prevention and management techniques, and increased confidence to act when they need to. 

We want people to have the confidence to support those around them, and make anxiety, depression and suicide prevention part of everyday conversations. As well as tackling stigma, prejudice and discrimination, we want to break down the barriers that prevent people from speaking up and reaching out. 

Peloton: What are some of your most recent programs or partnerships that you’re particularly proud of? 

Beyond Blue: In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, Beyond Blue launched a new, dedicated Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service to help people in Australia manage the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental health and wellbeing.

The free service is available around the clock, delivering clear, evidence-based information, advice and support specifically tailored to the mental health and wellbeing challenges raised by the pandemic.

Through a digital site, the service offers easy access to a broad range of support, from online wellbeing tips, self-help tools to phone counselling from trained mental health professionals, and peer to peer support.

Trained mental health professionals at Beyond Blue’s Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service are briefed about the evolving public health advice and trained to link callers to other relevant services, such as those relating to financial aid, family violence support and official government COVID-19 information sources. They can make clinical referrals and escalate people to more intensive mental health care as required.

Peloton: Can you tell us a little bit about your work with Peloton? 

Beyond Blue: The donation from Peloton will help fund the ongoing enhancements of Beyond Blue’s Peer to Peer Online Communities Forum – a digital hub for people seeking low intensity, peer-led mental health support. The hub allows people to share their experiences of living and coping with mental health issues, and aims to increase connectedness and reduce the stigma around mental illness, providing access to culturally safe mental health support for all people in Australia, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other multicultural communities. 

Peloton’s donation will help us build greater community capability and capacity for individuals to self-manage their own mental health, as well as provide access to various support services, organisations and information. The Peer to Peer Online Community will help build the capability and capacity of the community to support each other, regardless of barriers such as location and the need to access traditional support at specific times.

Peloton: What is the role of community in your work?

Beyond Blue: Community is at the heart of our vision and work. We actively listen to, understand, partner with and respond to community experience and needs. By learning from and working with the community, Beyond Blue can better reach and support people who need us and adapt to the evolving mental health needs of people living in Australia.