why we started YABI

Although effective medical treatments are available for mental health conditions, these are not always perfect and can only take the patient’s health ‘so far’. We found social treatment of mental health was virtually nonexistent, and an ignorant stigma and lack of understanding was contributing greatly to people’s suffering.

We wanted to provide an environment where sufferers, carers or supporters could gather in a non confronting environment social setting, like a café, and could talk to others going through similar life experiences. From here it is hoped they would establish a strong peer group they could lean on when they were experiencing down times, and help them improve life quality.

YABI Founders Personal Mental Health Stories…

Co-founder & CEO Jordy Heis

Jordy has seen the dramatic effects Bipolar can have when a family member was diagnosed, after a series of manic and depressive events caused by major incidents occurring in that family person’s life. The family member was admitted to a mental health hospital and this led to both his parents needing to take considerable time off work, resulting in significant financial hardship and emotional strain.

Currently Jordy runs his own company, North Black Marketing, specialising in branding and online marketing for SME Businesses

Co-Founder & Director Michael Mant-Smith

Mike hasn’t had it easy. The tragic death of his mother when she was struck by a car as a pedestrian crossing the road by a ‘blacked out’ driver, caused an onset of his first symptoms of ADHD. A fully qualified paramedic, Michael has also recently been forced to stop working in the field he loved due to having trouble with his memory, a side effect of ADHD.

Currently Mike is studying Nursing at University of Melbourne