by McKay Tan
As someone who has been closely involved with this charity since 2020, I am incredibly passionate about the importance of this small, non-profit social enterprise as they are well-deserving of this prize and grant.
Community Flower Studio (CFS) is a mental health charity that works with individuals of all ages and demographics through creative workshops that act as a safe space for all youth facing mental health challenges. These workshops include learning how to create succulent terrariums, floral arrangements and sand art – activities designed to help relax the mind and ground you. CFS has partnered with several organisations, including StreetWork and the Scouts, to help reach young people.
The founder, Dr. Bibiana Chan, is the most hard-working woman I’ve ever met. She was inspired to create CFS due to her own experiences of mental health and clinical depression. Dr. Chan’s work in CFS has been awarded the 2023 NSW Supporting Women’s Health Award, and her life-long dedication to mental health through her work in Beyond Blue and the Black Dog Institute led her to receive the 2010 Churchill Fellowship. Additionally, her passion for climate change activism is woven into all her workshops, which focus on spending time with nature and spreading awareness for climate change. The effort she channels into her work is evident and remarkable as she individually gathers materials and handmakes equipment for each workshop.
I first met Dr. Bibiana Chan when I attended one of her succulent workshops in 2020. Inspired by her drive, I decided to become a member of CFS. Members of CFS are volunteers for the organisation, meaning they can lead workshops, help promote the charity on their social media and raise money for the charity.
I co-facilitated my first succulent terrarium workshop over Zoom with the materials she had hand-delivered to every participant living within 10 km of her house. These workshops were meaningful as they allowed people to communicate when everyone felt isolated in their own homes. CFS had the power to reach out to people at their lowest and enabled them to create something beautiful with nature. Not only did these workshops help the participants, but they also allowed me to develop courage in myself and my ability to lead.
Since then, I have continued to facilitate workshops. CFS has shaped me into a leader and a communicator. Bibiana has allowed me to excel as I have grown compassion for people going through mental health battles, and she has inspired me to remain optimistic through my struggles with depression. CFS deliberately reaches out to vulnerable groups, such as the young people with StreekWork, and promotes creativity and optimism among them. At first, these young people sometimes hesitate to get involved in these activities. However, by the end, they are all proud of their creations and happily talk with each other and facilitators about their creative process. CFS has taught me not to worry about how beautiful something looks and to focus on the process. I have carried this ideology daily, improving my mental health and perfectionist anxieties.
Despite being such a brilliant cause, CFS has faced many financial challenges. Bibiana does not charge money for her workshops for young people so that more people can access these safe spaces. Although CFS’s status as a charity has taken the pressure off the social enterprise, CFS could be more financially sustainable as we currently rely on money from bouquet sales and external sources, such as Bunnings sausage sizzles.
The Future2 Community Grant would be hugely beneficial for CFS as it would allow the charity to focus on creating high-quality workshops for young people. Young people and families would be encouraged to communicate across generations and develop compassion and respect for individuals both older and younger than them. They can also build courage in their ability to create and, importantly, become compassionate to themselves. According to Mission Australia, young people with mental health issues are almost ten times more likely to have self-esteem issues. These studies prove the aims of CFS’s workshops are vital for all young people.
Community Flower Studio is a charity with a cause that means a lot to me. As a young girl diagnosed with clinical depression, I firmly believe mental health is essential to promote among young people. CFS is exceptionally deserving of the Future2 Community Grant, and as a leader, I believe I can continue leading the charity to reach as many young people as possible.
