Services
YouthLink and YouthReach South work collaboratively to provide a range of services to improve the mental health of young people. Each multidisciplinary service provides a range of direct clinical services to at-risk and marginalised young people including:
- Assessment
- Individual and group counselling and therapy Case Management
In addition the services offer support to those people who work with young people to assist better recognition and response to mental health problems. These services include:
- Consultative advice and support
- Training and education
- Participation in community development
Both services are committed to delivering services that are sensitive to diversity of gender, culture, sexuality, disability and respect young people's rights about family/carer involvement.
The teams are staffed by Clinical Psychologists, Social Workers and Nurses. Additionally, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) workers use professional and culturally appropriate frameworks to strengthen the social and emotional well being and mental health of ATSI young people and communities.
Counselling & Support
YouthReach South and YouthLink provide free and confidential counselling and support services to at-risk and marginalised young people who are:
- 13-24 years
- have a serious mental health disorder and/or complex psychosocial issues
- unwilling or unable to access other mental health or counselling services due to barriers such as transience or homelessness
- limited support and isolation
- significant difficulty in engaging with services
- agree to a referral.
Using a client-centred approach, our services provide assessment, counselling and case-management with a focus on engagement and assertive follow-up. Both services have the capacity to offer outreach where appropriate. Wherever possible, we seek to work collaboratively with other service providers, family and/or significant people in the young person's network. We can access and work with interpreters.
Issues our services can address include:
- Suicidal thoughts or behaviour
- Self-harm
- Abuse
- Depression and despair
- Alcohol and other drug use
- Self esteem
- Sexuality
- Stress and anxiety
- Grief and loss
- Anger and hostility
- Other mental health, well-being and lifestyle matters
Consultation
YouthLink and YouthReach South provide a consultation service to workers with at-risk and marginalised young people.
- Are you finding it hard to understand a young person's behaviour?
- Do you need some alternative strategies to assist a young person with a serious life difficulty?
- Do you need information about how to best support someone with a mental health diagnosis?
- Does your organisation require information and support to more effectively respond to young people with mental health issues?
- Does your organisation wish to consult regarding supporting or working with young people from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) backgrounds?
- Depending on the complexity of requests, consultations provided may range from one-off phone contact through to several agency-based consultations.
Community Development
YouthReach South and YouthLink work with other agencies to strengthen communities in assisting young people with mental health issues. By networking, attending interagency meetings and participating in community based projects, we aim to:
- form and foster effective alliances
- identify gaps in services
- enhance service delivery
- build capacity of communities
- identify opportunities for new service development and collaborative initiatives
Groups
YouthLink and YouthReach South values the use of group programs, in conjunction with individual therapy, to meet the needs of young people at-risk that are affected by mental health issues. We provide group programs that are inclusive and receptive to the needs of at-risk young people with mental health and other complex psychosocial difficulties These programs can provide a rich therapeutic space for young people to develop an understanding of the complexity of their issues and a supportive peer network. Group programs are reviewed on an ongoing basis to develop with the agency, young people and the broader mental health and youth sector.
Some examples of group programs that YouthLink have run include:
- Nightmares and Flashbacks
- Understanding Depression
- Stepping Stones - Peer support group
- Social Confidence - Social anxiety group
- Getting Along & Keeping Cool - Aggression management group
- Lifeworx - Skills based group program for young people who have problems with regulating emotions (emerging borderline personality disorder)
Where it is beneficial for young people, YouthLink and YouthReach South are also committed to the development of interagency group programs. Past examples of interagency group programs include:
- Ampt Up - an aggression management and recreation group developed by the staff of YouthLink, Youthfocus and the Station youth centre.
- Colour My World - an Art Therapy group developed by the staff of YouthLink and the Creative Expression Unit.
If you would like to know more, please contact the Groups Coordinator on 92274300.
YouthLink
223 James Street
Northbridge WA 6003
Phone: +61 8 9227 4300 Fax: +61 8 9328 5911