There’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ model for mental health support. The research – and young people – tell us that services need to reflect what a young person needs at that moment in time, and should be individualised to each young person, developing strength-based independence, and empowering a young person’s natural support network within their own unique communities.
Between April and June this year, 2,052 young people accessed our services, including counselling, group programs, work and study support, mentoring, and education programs.
A significant number of our clients experienced improvement after engaging with our services, as identified through evidence-based outcome measures. The young people we supported experienced reduced psychological distress – in fact, 52% of the young people we saw had significant improvement in their levels of distress, compared to the industry benchmark of 36%. The majority of our clients also had an increased ability to engage in day to day life.
Putting young people at the centre of their care is a key part of the way we deliver mental health services at Youth Focus. We are led by the young person and what they need in their mental health journey, based on what they want to achieve in their lives, in that moment – so that they can be who they want to be, without mental health standing in the way.
