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Karen Wellman

Miner V Wild 2025

I'm taking on the Miner V Wild challenge!

This August, I’m teaming up with a determined crew of miners to take on Miner V Wild — a gritty, outdoor adventure in the rugged Australian bush. We’re leaving behind the comforts of modern life to put our resilience, teamwork, and survival instincts to the test — all in the name of a cause that couldn’t be more urgent: supporting youth mental health.

We’re doing this for Youth Focus, a fantastic organisation working to provide vital mental health and vocational support to young people across Western Australia. Every dollar we raise helps them deliver life-changing services where they’re needed most.

And my personal motivation for doing this is that I’ve got teenagers in my life — and like so many people, I’ve seen how tough things can get for them. Being a teen isn’t easy, and sometimes it’s hard to know how to help when they’re struggling.

It’s scary when you feel like you don’t have the right words, or when you’re not sure what to do next. You just want to make things better — and that’s not always simple.

That’s why this challenge matters so much to me. It’s about showing up, pushing limits, and doing something hard — so young people don’t have to face their struggles alone.

I’ve set myself a goal to raise $15,000 — and I need your help to get there.

Please Help Me
Reach My Goal

Raised

$2,093

My Goal

$15,000

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"The need for youth mental health support has never been greater, with 40% of young people experiencing mental health challenges in the past 12 months.

Miner v Wild challenges participants to test their own mental and physical limits. But just like the young people we support, they can't do it on their own.

Your support of Miner v Wild will help Youth Focus raise much needed awareness – and funds – helping us to provide mental health services for young people, when and where they need it." – Derry Simpson Youth Focus CEO

For almost 30 years, Youth Focus has been providing mental health counselling and support services to young people aged between 12-25 years old, making a difference in the lives of tens of thousands of families. In 2023/2024 Youth Focus supported 3,707 young people with 22,290 occasions of service.

Youth Focus is the only non-government youth specialist mental health service in Western Australia that offers young people early intervention mental health counselling and support, without referral and at no cost to them or their families.

At Youth Focus we aim to create a community in which young people feel safe reaching for support, and that high-quality services are available when they do. We want this to be the reality for all young people, everywhere in Western Australia. Our services are accessible, evidence-based, and youth-specific and include:

  • Counselling for a wide variety of mental health and wellbeing challenges, including anxiety, depression, family conflict, school stress, body image and eating disorders, and suicidal ideation
  • Education and community engagement
  • Vocational support for work and study goals
  • Support for communities impacted by suicide, natural disasters, and other crises

My Updates

Hike Update

Friday 25th Jul
Thank you everyone for your support so far! 

I have been working on contacting donors individually with the news that I have had to withdraw from the hike this year due to an injury.  This remote region of the Kimberley is not one that should be taken lightly, and I would be a liability to the team unfortunately. 

I do have all intentions of completing it next year. In the meantime, the money continues to go towards a fantastic cause so please donate to one of my fellow trekkers Lauren or Anna instead!   : ) 

Thank you to my Sponsors

$515

Als

$250

Investorhub

Awesome initiative, for a great cause. All the best Karen!

$211

Nathan Wyndow

All the best for your epic adventure Karen

$211

Emma Edwards

Good luck out there! Such an incredible challenge for an important cause, cheering you on all the way.

$211

Michelle Richards

Love ya!

$200

Gervaise Heddle

$106.12

Nadine Marke

Desperately needed support for youth mental health services. And oh, what an experience Karen - good luck!

$106.12

David Detata

Best of luck Karen - don't forget to pack the Crocs!

$106.12

Katherine Fairley

Good for you Karen I’m sure you will do well on survival tactics. A very good cause.

$100

James Wilson

Go hard Karen!

$54.12

Simone Northcott

Good on you Karen, it’s pretty confronting seeing what our teens go through. Take care x

$22.58

Kjb

Good luck, an incredibly worthy cause xx