Our impact
We are proud that 20 years after its establishment, Butterfly continues to make a significant impact within the mental health sector.
With a multi-skilled team working across Australia, we improve lives for people with an eating disorder or body image issues in treatment, support, advocacy and prevention.
From 2020-2021, our impact has included:
- 32,406 contacts made to Butterfly’s National Helpline which provides support over the phone, via email and through webchat 7 days a week. Helpline contacts have seen a 275% increase over the past five years.
- 274,699 young people reached through Butterfly Education Services
- Over 500 people took part in Butterfly’s treatment and carer programs, as well as support groups
- 134,608 young people reached through a range of Positive Body Image workshops to schools and workplaces
- Developed Australia’s first whole of primary school body image program, Butterfly Body Bright
- Securing Federal government funding and support to develop the Butterfly Residential Model of Care and build Australia’s first community-based residential treatment facility for eating disorders. Wandi Nerida opened in June 2021.
- Providing guard rails to state and federal government to inform the development of residential treatment centres across Australia
- During the COVID-19 crisis, working with other eating disorder organisations, including ANZAED (Australia and New Zealand Academy of Eating Disorders) in liaising with the office of the Minister for Health to ensure that Eating Disorder Management Plans are accessible via Telehealth.
- Working with other organisations within the sector to form the Eating Disorder Alliance of Australia, further strengthening our voice of lived experience and driving systemic change in the eating disorder sector. Members include Butterfly Foundation (Butterfly), Eating Disorders Families Australia (EDFA), Eating Disorders Victoria (EDV), Eating Disorders Queensland (EDQ), and Australia & New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders (ANZAED).
- Continuing to learn from, advocate for and amplify the voices of lived experience, we developed our Lived Experience Network, The Butterfly Collective, established the first Lived Experience Community Insights Group to help inform our organisation’s strategic priorities and direction, and refreshed and developed our motivational speakers program, Butterfly Pathfinders.
