Every school is different, so eligibility comes down to a few factors – our program criteria, current funding availability, and program capacity. The best next step is to submit an enquiry. Our team will then arrange a call to walk through the details with you.

No – there is no cost for participating schools. Gotcha4Life is a charity, and we raise the funds to deliver the program free of charge to eligible schools. The program is fully funded thanks to Gotcha4Life's partners, funders and donors.

Program onboarding begins in Term 4, 2026, which includes a Discovery Session and co-designed Action Plan with your leadership team delivered by a Gotcha4Life Mental Fitness Educator.  Full program delivery, including workshops and school-wide activities, starts in Term 1, 2027.

Please submit an enquiry to join the 2027 waitlist.

No – this is a genuine partnership designed to build your school’s long-term mental fitness capabilities. An external Mental Fitness Educator works alongside your school for the full three years, supporting implementation and delivering the program with you. Your school also receives curriculum-aligned resources and lesson plans to embed mental fitness into daily school life, and professional development to build the skills to continue the work.

We offer a limited number of places each year, which depends on available funding and the eligibility criteria, which may include geographic or school-specific requirements. We recommend registering interest early to assess eligibility.

If your school isn’t offered a place this round, you’ll still be an important part of the Gotcha4Life village with supported opportunities to start building mental fitness across your school community. You’ll receive free termly resources, invitations to webinars, and regular program updates. You’ll be first to know about future opportunities and availability.

Each school is partnered with a dedicated Mental Fitness Educator who works in and alongside your school throughout the three-year partnership. They facilitate program delivery and provide ongoing coaching and support to make mental fitness a part of everyday school life. Your school will receive:

• Strategic planning and coaching to support implementation 

• Professional learning and staff wellbeing, including workshops, Mental Health First Aid upskilling, and access to exclusive webinars

• Parent/carer workshops, plus access to webinars for the wider school community

• Curriculum-aligned classroom tools and lesson plans

• Access to our dedicated digital resource library 

• Termly check-ins and ongoing support

The program is aligned with the Australian Curriculum, Version 9.0 Content Connections for Mental Health and Wellbeing and relevant state curriculums, including NSW PDHPE syllabus and Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0.  It supports SEL outcomes, including mental health, wellbeing, social and emotional learning, and help-seeking.  Staff sessions run within existing professional learning time, aimed at strengthening what teachers already do rather than adding to their workload.

Mentally Fit Schools is designed to complement, not replace, your existing wellbeing initiatives. We introduce a practical, whole-school framework for mental fitness, supported by ongoing coaching and implementation, that aligns with your school's wellbeing goals and strategic priorities. By building a shared language, strengthening capability across students, educators and families, and embedding practical mental fitness habits into everyday school life, we help schools achieve more consistent and sustainable wellbeing outcomes.

The program is delivered by a Gotcha4Life Mental Fitness Educator who partners with your school throughout the three-year program. Our Mental Fitness Educators have extensive experience working in school communities, with many bringing backgrounds in teaching, educational leadership and student wellbeing. They facilitate workshops, leadership planning, staff training and ongoing coaching, supporting your school to build mental fitness. Schools can expect approximately 8–10 in-person and online engagements each year, alongside ongoing implementation support. 

Parents and carers are a key part of building a mentally fit school community. We engage families through dedicated workshops, take-home resources, and practical tools to increase shared language and support mental fitness at home. Termly webinars with guest speakers, practical resources and ongoing learning opportunities help parents and carers feel informed, confident and equipped to support their child's mental fitness beyond the classroom.

The program is designed to fit within your existing school structures, not add to staff workload. Staff workshops are delivered during existing professional learning time, while classroom resources and activities are designed to integrate into everyday teaching and align with your school's calendar. 

We use an evidence-based evaluation framework to measure the impact of the program and track progress over time. We assess changes in mental health protective factors, habits and behaviours across your school community, as well as a school's capability to build and sustain a mentally fit school community. Our evaluation approach has been developed in collaboration with Western Sydney University and the Impact Institute.

With half of all mental health issues emerging before age 14*, schools are uniquely placed to make a difference. Yet the growing complexity of mental health challenges can leave educators and families unsure where to start and unprepared to address it.  Our program builds capacity, fosters resilience, and equips schools with practical tools to create an environment where every student can thrive.

We can set up a meeting to discuss your school's specific needs, review the program details, and outline the next steps for participation.  Register your interest here and we will be in touch.