Kai Eardley was an ordinary boy growing up, enjoying sports and outdoor activities with his parents and two brothers.
That’s why his mum, Claire Eardley, didn’t notice anything amiss.
“Kai was a sensitive, caring little boy who loved life to the maximum. He enjoyed many aspects [of life], including skating, running, surfing, diving, and snowboarding – all of which he was incredible at,” Eardley told So Perth.
As Kai entered his teen years, things started to change.
“Kai had suffered from anxiety since he was around the age of 14. This got progressively worse, and in early the months of 2016, he sought the help of GPs, clinical psychologists, and psychiatrists in an attempt to manage his depression,” Eardley said.
“When Kai’s mental health got worse, relationships were tested, yet remained strong.”
Even though he had been seeing a psychiatrist and was on medication, Eardley didn’t know how far things had escalated until Kai expressed he felt suicidal the day he passed away in 2016.
After he tragically took his own life, Eardley decided to start an online fundraiser, calling for donations in Kai’s honour for mental health charity, Beyond Blue.
The overwhelming support inspired Eardley and her family to launch the Kai Fella Foundation, which in turn, has supported the Tomorrow Man and Tomorrow Woman initiatives.
Tomorrow Man and Tomorrow Woman
With the help of the Kai Fella Foundation, Tomorrow Man has worked with thousands of young men across WA to introduce workshops for the next generation of men.
It creates training grounds to build emotional muscle and judgement-free spaces to start conversations about mental health across secondary schools, TAFE, universities, sports clubs, and male-dominated workplaces.
Tomorrow Man explores how men can look after the mental health of themselves, their friends, and their families, disrupt old-school male stereotypes, and define a healthier version of masculinity.
Following this success, there was a huge demand to offer young women a similar opportunity to discuss gender expectations and the state of womanhood.
Tomorrow Woman helps reignite women’s voices across the country and empowers them to confidently express their needs and opinions free from judgement.
With programs like Her Code, Long Form, and More Than Game, women will learn to question the confines and expectations of modern womanhood, speak up for themselves, and build resilience and self-confidence.
“We support the Tomorrow Man/Women workshops because I believe they give the boys a voice which Kai was lacking. The workshops disrupt the gender stereotype and allow authentic conversations in a safe space,” Eardley said.
“We received nothing but positive feedback from both students and staff who have experienced a workshop. While you can’t change a community in a two-hour session, you can begin community change.”
Kai Fella Ball
On January 14, 2023, the institute will be hosting the inaugural Kai Fella Ball with the intent to raise awareness about youth suicide prevention.
Tickets are on sale for $275.00 each, with the funds raised to be used to get more people participating in the Tomorrow Man and Tomorrow Woman workshops.
Guests can enjoy a lavish night in the Grand Ballroom at Crown Towers, revelling in a five-star three-course meal, beverages, entertainment and dancing, giveaways, raffles, and a silent auction.
If you can’t make it to the Kai Fella ball, then a donation of just $25.00 is enough for one at-risk child to attend a life-changing workshop.
“The ball is a celebration of Kai’s life and the community of support which has come over the last six years. While the ball will be the biggest fundraising event to date, I believe that awareness is more important,” Eardley commented.
Looking ahead, Eardley hopes to deliver 500 workshops in Western Australia next year.
“Our goal is to deliver 500 workshops throughout WA in 2023. This year we managed 411 workshops and reached 11,000 students. Our goal is to see this opportunity made available to every child growing up here in Australia.”
If you or someone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au.
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