Youth Focus offers professional counselling services for young people aged 12 to 25 to help navigate mental health challenges.
Young people can access our youth counselling services with no formal referral or mental health care plan, at no cost.
If you, or a young person you know needs support, we are here to help.
Youth Focus is not a crisis support service. If you, or someone you support, need urgent assistance please contact an emergency support service.
If anyone is in immediate danger, call 000.
What to expect
When a young person reaches out to us, or is referred, we’ll have a conversation with them to explore what they’re going through, and what support is needed.
If our service is right for the young person, we’ll book them in for an appointment with one of our Youth Counsellors. For young people who aren’t able to access our locations, or prefer to join the counselling session remotely, we can offer phone or online appointments.
In the counselling session our Youth Counsellor will talk through with the young person what’s been going on for them, how they’re feeling, and skills to work through challenges. Everyone is different, so we don’t have a one-size-fits-all approach. Our Youth Counsellors will work with each young person to learn what they’re hoping to get out of the session, and how they want to be supported.
At the end of the session, the Youth Counsellor and young person will make a plan for moving forward. One session may be enough, or it may be helpful to book to a time to come back and continue to receive support.
Finding the right support is important, and young people are able to work with our team to find a counsellor who’s a good fit for them.
When a young person arrives for their first session, our team will greet them and provide some forms to complete, including a consent form.
The young person may wish to discuss with their counsellor how best to involve their support network in their care. We also have a comfortable space in which parents, carers and support people can wait during the session.
Those with an online appointment booked will be provided a link to our virtual waiting rooms (via text message) before the session time.
A few minutes before the scheduled session, simply click the link provided and follow the prompts on the screen to enter the virtual waiting room. Can’t find the link anymore? You can find the links to each location’s virtual waiting room here.
Follow the prompts on the screen and wait until the Youth Counsellor opens the call.
If you have booked a phone appointment, your Youth Counsellor will call you on the number provided at the time of the appointment.
“[Youth Counsellor] is such a slay. She was the first, and probably one of the only people who didn’t make me feel nauseous at the idea of talking about mental-health related things. She’s so kind, and never fails to say the right things or challenge unhelpful mindsets without making me uncomfortable.”
Agreement to receive support
Our services are voluntary and can only be provided to young people when they give consent. We will work with each young person to involve their support network in ways they are comfortable with and that will be beneficial to their wellbeing.