All of Western Australia’s young people deserve access to mental health support, wherever they live.
Youth Focus has launched a campaign to raise vital awareness and funds to connect more young people living in regional and remote areas with mental health support, when and where they need it.
Nadiyah is one of our counsellors at Youth Focus. She sees a lot in her work supporting the young people of Collie. Many of the young people Nadiyah meets face serious issues that impact their mental health, such as domestic violence, trauma or addiction. For many, accessing the right support at the right time is life-changing.
Western Australia has seen an alarming rise in the mental ill-health of our young people. And tragically, rates of self-harm and suicide are higher in regional and remote areas. For many young people living in regional areas, mental health challenges are compounded by a lack of accessible support services they so desperately need.
At Youth Focus, we know just how important it is that every young person has access to our mental health services, no matter where they live. That’s why, in addition to our eight Youth Focus locations, we currently provide counsellors like Nadiyah in over 50 schools across WA. We aim to remove the barriers that stand in the way of young people in regional areas getting support.
And you can help us to do that. You can ensure that a counsellor is there for young people by making a tax-deductible donation today.
Without Nadiyah’s counselling sessions at the school, many young people could not easily access the support they need. “Meeting young people where they go most days makes a real difference,” says Nadiyah.
“It reduces the pressure on families in a town where there’s no public transport and where there’d normally be a cost associated with getting help, not to mention long wait times.”
Mental health should never be underestimated. It impacts all areas of a young person’s life, including social connection, relationships, education and employment. Without the right support at the right time, what might potentially be a short-term challenge could escalate and have lifelong effects.
The devastating fact is that suicide remains the leading cause of death for young people 15 – 24 in Australia. Together, we can change this. WA’s young people urgently need more access to our mental health support services. By making a gift today, you can help ensure more regional schools have counsellors like Nadiyah.
All of Western Australia’s young people should have access to this life-changing support. We know that our programs work, but the need for our services continues to increase. We must be there for young people, wherever they live.
To make a tax-deductible donation, please visit www.youthfocus.com.au/donate