Youth Leading Change - A.W.A.R.E- Mental Health Awareness

Youth ventures relating to mental health awareness in an Australian context.

1. A.W.A.R.E Advocating for Wellbeing and Accessibility in Rural Environments

2. Conditions that are not immediately obvious to others Examples: Learning Disabilities Mental Health Disorders Chronic illnesses Invisible Disabilities

3. Prevalence of Disability 90% x 4.4 million= 3.96 million people with invisible disability!

4. SOCIAL INJUSTICE RECOGNITION DISTRIBUTION PARTICIPATION

5. 6.8 MILLION PEOPLE IN REGIONAL AREAS

6. WHY FOCUS ON RURAL YOUTH ? Early Intervention and Support 01 Educational Success 02 Breaking the Stigma 03 Long-Term Impact 04

7. BACKGROUND The shift towards mental health recognition in the face of desperate demand

8. Mental Health Plays a Central role in any Young Person’s Life

9. Addressing issues in the community and not just in the clinic

10. The Demand for Mental Health Services in Rural Victoria has Never Been Higher

11. …And the evidence is overwhelmingly clear

12. The Tragic Consequences of unmet needs

13. Beyond the figures and statistics are humans with a story

14. PLAN OF ACTION - AWARE INFORMATION SESSIONS PEEK

15. OUR TEAM University Students Rural Health focused organisations Mental Health Practitioners

16. INFORMATION SESSIONS PRACTITIONERS AND PARENTS UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND HIGHSCHOOL STUDENTS Sharing personal experiences with dealing with invisible disabilities Identifying symptoms Breaking stigma barriers Common invisible illness’ Treatment options Local facilities and clinics Identifying symptoms Significance of early diagnosis Breaking stigma barriers Common invisible illness’ Treatment options Local clinics and facilities

17. STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4 STEP 5 STEP 6 Recruiting health practitioners Recruiting University students who are diagnosed with invisible disabilities Proposing the AWARE program to regional schools and communities Induction webinar for practitioners and University students Conducting of AWARE information sessions and programs Receiving of feedback from participating highschool students and parents PROJECT STAGES

18. OUR PARTNERS Organisation that also strives to spread invisible disability awareness by supporting health professionals in reaching remote communities Commonly provides grants for programs which support their vision Financially supports health professionals who provide outreach services, paying for costs associated with providing outreach services (such as travel and accommodation) Aims to directly support students enrolled in nationally recognised health-related degrees at any Australian university through their grant-connect program Participating Universities include the University of Melbourne, Deakin University, ACU etc. Supports high-quality rural health training in order to address gaps in the rural and remote health workforce Rural Outreach Fund (RHOF) Australian Government Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training program

19. OUR FINANCES Practitioners and those running the sessions incur no cost. Ensure that we are able to provide practitioners and the program at no cost to schools. SOURCES Grants OBJECTIVES Sponsorships Lesson run cost 105 Initial 50 Lessons 5250 COSTS Room 70 Transport 20 Misc 15

20. FINANCES GRANTS & PARTNERSHIPS One time start-up grant CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP Continuous funding Rural Outreach Fund Australian Government Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Program

21. IMPACT Short Term & Long Term Evaluation Please keep this slide for attribution

22. SHORT TERM YOUTH & COMMUNITY Short Term awareness and increase in knowledge in youth & parents impacted. Disillusionment of invisible illness and disabilities in parents Greater diagnosis and testing in the general area.

23. LONG TERM IMPACT YOUTH In a study of empowerment based education programs by Toumbourou & Gregg, 2002; found programs based on discussion, education and contact resulted in a greater willingness to interact with the topic and passive learning. STIGMA The same study also saw parents and student education saw a decrease in conflict with parents, increased maternal care, and less “delinquency”(Toumbourou & Gregg, 2002) . Therefore the impact would result in a better QOL and understanding of such topics in youth.

24. Thank you

25. REFERENCES Batterham, P. J., Kazan, D., Banfield, M., & Brown, K. (2020). Differences in mental health service use between urban and rural areas of Australia. Australian Psychologist , 55 (4), 327–335. https://www.abc.net.au/news/caitlyn-davey/13484030. (2021, August 4). Lifeline records its busiest day on record as Aussies feel the squeeze of lockdown. ABC News . https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-04/lifeline-records-highest-daily-calls-on-record/100350522 Mark, D. C. (n.d.). Axel Honneth, The Struggle for Recognition. In J. T. Levy (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Classics in Contemporary Political Theory (p. 0). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198717133.013.2 Pretty, G., Rapley, M., & Bramston, P. (2002). Neighbourhood and community experience, and the quality of life of rural adolescents with and without an intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability , 27 (2), 106–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/13668250220135079-5 State of Victoria, Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, Final Report, Volume 2: Collaboration to support good mental health and wellbeing, Parl Paper No. 202, Session 2018–21 (document 3 of 6). (n.d.). State of Victoria, Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, Final Report, Volume 3: Promoting inclusion and addressing inequities, Parl Paper No. 202, Session 2018–21 (document 4 of 6) . (n.d.). Toumbourou, J. W., & Gregg, M. E. (2002). Impact of an empowerment-based parent education program on the reduction of youth suicide risk factors. Journal of Adolescent Health , 31 (3), 277–285.