MAWS Group

05/12/2025

2025 marks a cycle of 7 years living with the illness of type 1 bipolar disorder. It has and always will be a hard battle but with the right support, sleep, medication and routine life can just be as normal as everyone else.

I have worked very hard on my illness to make it a manageable condition over the years and im so proud of how far I have come.

The snap shot of the last 7 years are as follows and I can't wait to see what I can achieve in the next 7 years.

2018 diagnosed bipolar 1 disorder after coming off medication from my first episode of psychosis.

2019 created MAWS ( mental awareness with sports)

First surf trip to meet professional bodyboarder with same illness

Invited onto 100.9fm radio

First maws meeting created

Got fired for disclosing my illness to my boss

Completed Mental health first aid course

Maws bowling launched

Challenged myself in carpentry

Created t shirt brand and stickers

2020

became a dad

Became a qualified surf coach and taught surfing, skateboarding and bodyboarding

Featured on channel 9

Best of the west channel 9 nomination with 5k from BankWest

Created custom surfboard

Hosted skateboard birthday parties

2021

Commonwealth bank cheque

Met with politicians

Continued lessons

2022 published a children’s book

Interviewed by channel 7

sports champion winner through channel 7

Featured in stm magazine

Qualified as a mental health facilitator

2023

Diploma of mental health

Won a grocery shop full trolly prize

Broke my shoulder

2024

trained as a construction site manager

shoulder recovery

Started to focus on loosing med weight 10kg to loose

2025

Received my first bonus

Received a pay rise

Awarded site manager of the year.

Lost all medication weight

Had another child

Built a patio and deck combo when i was told it might not be possible due to my shoulder reconstruction

Started at a new builder with 4 day weeks to spend more time with family.

Thanks for all those that have supported me along the way :)

02/08/2025

I won site manager of the year :). Its been a journey managing bipolar disorder for the last 7 years but I have never let the illness define me or limit my potential for success.

Never stop believing in yourself no matter the set backs :).

10/07/2025

After months of training i have lost all my medication weight.
84kg to now 75kg
Med weight is always hard to loose, I'm so glad I have achieved this goal.
Now to maintain it :)

25/12/2024

Merry Christmas everyone, hope everyone has a great day :).

Another podcast is now live :)

In this enlightening episode, Nicholas de Graaf discusses the therapeutic benefit of social sports on mental health. Nick is the founder of MAWS: Mental Awareness W…

17/04/2024

Hi everyone

I have been approached by wisdom yoga to see if any children would be intrested in free yoga classes

I would need to find a venue or public space to run the classes from but need confirmation of numbers for weekend yoga classes.

Please read below :)

Are you a young person struggling with mental health issues? Are stress and anxiety weighing you down?

We're here to offer you a serene sanctuary, where you can find solace, strength, and balance through the power of yoga!

At MAWS Group and the Wisdom Yoga Institute, we understand the importance of mental well-being, especially during challenging times. That's why we're thrilled to announce FREE yoga classes specifically for youth facing mental health hurdles.
🧘‍♂️ What can yoga do for your mental health? 🧘‍♀️
1. Stress Relief: Yoga helps to release tension from both the body and mind, promoting relaxation and reducing the harmful effects of stress.
2. Anxiety Reduction: Through mindful breathing and gentle movements, yoga can alleviate anxiety symptoms, fostering a sense of calm and tranquility.
3. Improved Mood: Engaging in yoga practices boosts the production of serotonin and other feel-good hormones, lifting your spirits and promoting emotional well-being.
4. Enhanced Self-Awareness: Yoga encourages self-reflection and mindfulness, empowering you to become more attuned to your thoughts, feelings, and sensations.
5. Better Sleep: Practicing yoga regularly can improve sleep quality, helping you to feel more rested and rejuvenated each day.



Please send me a message if your children would be interested in these free classes.

Kind regards

04/04/2024

Hi everyone

Today marks the day I launched my first meet and great for maws at mindarie.

Now 5 years on ill be on a podcast tonight to discuss all the challenges and achievements of living with type 1 bipolar whilst juggling life :)

I'll post the link once received

02/03/2024

Hi everyone

Since my injury to my shoulder and being forced out of my career as a carpenter, I have started a new career as a construction site supervisor for a residential builder.

If you are looking at building in the northern corridor of perth I could steer you to the right person to talk to and I will be supervising your build from slab to key hand over.

I have recieved some great references from past clients and have a lot of experience in the building industry.

Kind regards
Nick

04/02/2024

Hi everyone

I have just set up some support services through mable as a support worker :)

24/12/2023

Hi everyone

Merry Christmas and have a wonderful new year.

I'm planning on putting MAWS lessons on hold in the new year whilst I focus on my family and my current work commitments.

Thank you for all the support this year.

Kind regards
Nick

10/12/2023

All up to date except for my bronze medalin as I wait for strength in my shoulder:)

06/12/2023

Hi everyone

Skateboarding won't be going ahead today due to no bookings :(. If any last minute bookings are made a full refund will be sent.

Kind regards
Nick

05/12/2023

Nice to receive a reference from one of my BGC clients :)

Stan


Alkimos 6038

Mobile:

30/10/2023

To Whom It May Concern

My wife and I put down the deposit for our new home with BGC in June 2020. Over the last few years, we have had a number of supervisors, all of whom haven't managed to produce much progress with our build, however, since our new supervisor Nick de Graaf took over managing our job a few months ago, there has been a remarkable improvement.

We now have a supervisor who consistently responds and keeps us updated with the progress of our build.

Nick provides us with truthful updates, rather than telling us what we want to hear.

Since Nick assumed his role, progress has significantly improved. On many occasions, he has taken action into his own hands and personally organized urgent matters to keep the job moving, all while keeping us updated every step of the way.

I believe that if Nick had been our supervisor from the beginning, we would have been in our house by now.

My wife and I can't commend Nick enough for his honesty and professionalism right from the start. We believe there needs to be more supervisors like Nick in the industry to keep the wheels moving.

Regards

Stan