Rio Tinto, Telethon and Youth Focus partner to launch community-based mental health service for young people

Mental health services for young people across the Great Southern will be boosted by a new community-based youth support program funded by Telethon and mining giant Rio Tinto.

The program, which was announced by Youth Focus, a not-for-profit organisation working to improve the mental health of young West Australians, and launched at Albany public library on Wednesday, will provide counselling and school-based support for young people aged 12 to 25.

Youth Focus is recruiting a specialist mental health practitioner who will be based at headspace, Albany, and travel across the Great Southern.

The free service will cover the local government areas of Albany, Broomehill-Tambellup, Cranbrook, Denmark, Gnowangerup, Jerramungup, Katanning, Kent, Kojonup, Plantagenet, Woodanilling and Walpole.

The service should be operational later this year, with no GP referral necessary.

Youth Focus Great Southern regional manager Andrew Wenzel said reaching mental health support in regional WA often meant travelling long distances.

“This new program will enable young people to access mental health support in their own communities, breaking down some of the barriers to getting help,” he said.

“It will also provide extra capacity for our programs in Mt Barker and Denmark.”

The five-year funding was key, he said.

“For a new service it means we can plan, get feedback and react to it.

“It means it can be a sustainable project.”

He said one of the first tasks would be to rename the program because Community Based Youth Support Program was a bit of a mouthful with Feels on Wheels already floated as a suggestion.

Youth Focus chief Derry Simpson said a major issue was people often do not ask for the help they need.

“We know almost half of young people who are struggling won’t reach out, which is why it’s so important there is someone there to help without having to wait and without having to pay for the support they need,” she said.

Rio Tinto’s health, safety, environment and communities general manager Mark Townson said he hoped the business’ partnership with Youth Focus and Telethon would make a difference to the lives of young people in the region.