Students from Pinjarra Senior High School have participated in an important Youth Focus mental health education program, thanks to a partnership with Alcoa.
The program, Mental Notes: Conversations about Mental Health, is run by an experienced Youth Focus facilitator and is open to Year 9 students, parents and teaching staff at secondary schools across metropolitan and regional Western Australia.
More than 150 students participated in five workshops at the school on October 25 and 28, thanks to a partnership between Youth Focus and resources company Alcoa that funds delivery of mental health services in the Kwinana, Peel and Upper South West areas. The schools program is part of Youth Focus’ suite of services aimed at improving the mental health and wellbeing of young people to prevent youth suicide.
Suicide is the biggest killer of young Australians. Latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows 58 young people aged between 15 and 24 took their own lives in WA in 2020.
Youth Focus Chief Executive Officer Arthur Papakotsias said the program provided a conduit between young people and support services.
“Youth Focus programs in schools provide a connection between young people and our support services that helps raise awareness about youth mental health and how young people can help themselves and each other,” Mr Papakotsias said.
Alcoa Corporate Affairs Manager Suellen Jerrard said supporting the mental health of our young people had never been more important and the company was proud to help deliver such important services. The Youth Focus schools program was set up in 2012 to improve mental health literacy in the community. Since then, it has been revised to include more progressive messages.
Youth Focus is the only specialist non-government youth mental health service in WA and works to prevent suicide and improve the mental health of young people aged 12 to 25 through free counselling and community education services.
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