Youth mental health charity ReachOut’s Director of Service, Jackie Halla, spoke with Retail Pharmacy Assistants for this month’s Awareness Spotlight. ReachOut seeks to provide online mental health support to young people. In September 2022, it launched PeerChat, a service that offers free peer support to young people aged 18 to 25 years. ReachOut encourages retail pharmacy assistants to check in with their customers, remembering that “each of us can take real steps to support the young people in our lives and in our communities when it comes to their mental health.”
Tell us about ReachOut and its mission.
ReachOut is the leading online mental health service in Australia, supporting young people during tough times. ReachOut helps young people feel better about today and the future, no matter what challenges they’re facing. ReachOut is a safe place where young people can openly express themselves, explore what’s happening in their lives, connect with people who understand their situation, and find the resources to help them manage their challenges now and in the future.
Why is it important to shine the awareness spotlight on ReachOut and youth mental health?
More than one in three young people in Australia are currently experiencing a mental health difficulty. However, more than one million of them aren’t accessing professional support. In addition, suicide remains the leading cause of death for 16-24-year-olds in Australia.
These statistics are a very real reminder that we need to support the mental health of young people across Australia, including via greater awareness of these challenges. Critically, ReachOut is there for young people with a range of free mental health support options, including information, tips, peer support and pathways to further support if they need it.
What key messages regarding youth mental health should the general community be aware of?
At ReachOut, we really want to remind young people that mental health challenges aren’t something they have to deal with on their own. Seeking help can be hard, but it’s often an important first step to feeling better. This might look like talking to someone you trust, making an appointment with a health professional, logging on to ReachOut or calling a helpline.
As a broader community, it’s important to remember that each of us can take real steps to support the young people in our lives and in our communities when it comes to their mental health. We all have a role to play, be it big or small. For example, you could get involved in a community fundraising event such as ReachOut’s Laps for Life and raise funds and awareness for youth mental health.
What services does ReachOut offer to young people?
Anonymous, free and 100 per cent online, ReachOut has been designed specifically for, and with, young people. From one-to-one support from experienced Peer Workers to online forums, as well as tips, stories and resources, ReachOut offers a wide range of support options that allow young people to engage in the ways they want to, when they want to, and has been doing so for more than 20 years.
ReachOut Parents and ReachOut Schools provide valuable information, resources and advice to help parents, carers and educators to better understand the young people in their lives and to play an active role in their wellbeing.
What is ReachOut PeerChat, and why was it developed?
ReachOut PeerChat is a safe, digital, one-to-one peer support service that allows young people to connect with trained ‘peer workers’ who offer perspective, insights and support through their own lived and living experience of mental ill health and tough times.
We know that for many young people when it comes to their mental health, seeking support can feel overwhelming and can be expensive. Young people told ReachOut that they wanted one-to-one support that’s non-clinical and available at short notice in an environment where they feel comfortable and safe.
PeerChat was launched in September 2022 and has been co-designed with both young people and peer workers. It’s a free service that allows young people to connect with a peer worker online and chat anonymously. It can feel like an easier way for a young person to start their help-seeking journey by talking to someone who’s been through their own mental health challenges and tough times, and can relate to their experiences.
Whom is PeerChat aimed at, and why?
PeerChat is available to young people aged 18 to 25 years. The service is aimed at this age group because we know these young people are digital natives, and this kind of service breaks down some of the barriers this age group faces when seeking mental health support, including cost, time and a preference for non-clinical support.
How does PeerChat work? <bold>
PeerChat is currently available five days a week (1–9pm Monday to Thursday, 10 am-6pm on Fridays). To access the service, young people simply head to ReachOut PeerChat to make a booking. Each session is completely anonymous, and all the chats happen online via a text-based system. Once a young person logs on for their session, they’ll be connected with a peer worker who can listen to what’s been happening for them, share their own experiences and share information and suggestions about things the young person can do to feel better.
Why is chatting with a peer worker beneficial for young people experiencing mental health challenges?
PeerChat is led by a workforce of professional peer workers who have lived and living experience of mental health challenges. Each is trained to safely engage and connect with young people via the service. PeerChat’s peer workers actively listen, let the young person guide the conversation, and focus on individual strengths, hope and recovery.
How can retail pharmacy assistants help to support your work?
Retail pharmacy assistants can play an important role when it comes to youth mental health because of the interactions they have with their customers and community.
Checking out the ReachOut and ReachOut Parents websites is a great way for pharmacy assistants to start to learn more about the free mental health services that ReachOut offers to both young people and parents, which are available 24/7.
Or you could get involved in an event like Laps for Life and encourage your community to get involved too. Laps for Life is all about setting your own goals and jumping in the pool in the month of March in support of youth mental health and suicide prevention.
What should pharmacy assistants do if they notice a young person who may be struggling with their mental health?
We encourage pharmacy assistants to ask their customers how they’re going and to really listen to the answer. You don’t have to fix the problem, but being able to hold space, listen and mention specific mental health support services that could suit that particular customer can be a really impactful way of directing them to the right support.
This article discusses suicide and mental ill health. If you need support, a number of services can help, including Lifeline (13 11 14) and Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), or check out ReachOut.com. In an emergency, call 000.
This feature was originally published in the March issue of Retail Pharmacy Assistants e-magazine.
