Note: The following blog contains information surrounding mental illness. If you or someone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

This week is NSW Youth Week (April 9 – 17) and the theme for 2025 is recognising every young person’s individual and collective power to become future leaders and decision-makers within the community.

At The Benevolent Society, we provide a range of services for young people to ensure they can feel supported in the communities they are part of so they can thrive beyond their young adult years.

In rural communities within Western NSW, The Benevolent Society offer a free voluntary mobile outreach program providing mental health support for young people aged 12-25 years. The team have supported over 1,300 young people with mental health support since its inception in 2018. 

Kylie, the team leader at the Rural Youth Mental Health Program, has been actively involved with the program and has taken a very person-centred approach including recruiting a local team who are familiar with the challenges in these communities. She explains how early intervention not only positively impacts the individuals personally, but it also encourages young people to be equipped with the right skills and strategies to cope in other life areas including relationships, friendships and education. 

“The ability of a young person to access mental health support early means that they will be given the coping skills and strategies to take into everyday life settings.”

Participants have regular sessions within their local school, home or community and operate within the towns of Cobar, Condobolin, Coonabarabran, Coonamble, Cowra, Forbes, Gilgandra, Mudgee, Nyngan, Narromine, Parkes and Walgett.

The Benevolent Society also have also been long-time supporters of young people within the Sydney area assisting with program-based community and educational services for young people aged 12-17 years, typically year 7 to 12 high school students within The Shack Youth Services Program.

The Shack offers free tutoring programs in partnership with The University of New South Wales, as well as drop-in services, school holiday, in-school and high school preparation programs. Each program has a unique offering;  however, all services provide a safe environment for young people to feel comfortable and become familiar with the team of youth workers.

Team leader Erica says that having services purely for young people to support their future is crucial. “Young people are at a critical age where they need access to safe spaces and safe adults. They are often the demographic that are forgotten or overlooked within society”.

The Shack also run targeted psycho-educational based programs in schools focusing on topics like safe relationships, effective communication skills and managing emotions.

Service Support Coordinators Will and Yasemin facilitate and design the programs within The Shack. Yasemin explains that the team rely on partnerships with services to ensure they continue to reach the people in the different areas who need the most support.

“We are always open to partnerships and collaborations to make sure we are offering access to services in the areas where it’s needed”. 

Through the services run at The Shack, Will has seen vast improvements in the young people he’s met saying that the benefits expand further within their communities.

“The social anxiety of many of the young people I’ve worked with has decreased dramatically. There’s a willingness to engage socially with others whether that’s through our program or outside The Shack programs”.

Sisters Belle and Eden enjoy participating at the many programs offered at The Shack. Eden reflects on her time during the school holidays.

“Going out and socialising with people is hard for me so The Shack has helped me make new friends. We also do things we typically don’t do usually during the holidays if we were just at home”.

Participant Michael has been attending since 2019. The Shack youth services has helped him build his confidence particularly as he begins his final year of high school leading into his tertiary education.

“I used to be a shy person but as time has gone on, I’ve become more confident within myself. It’s my last year at The Shack and the services has made me feel more prepared mentally and socially and for my future studying business at TAFE”. 

There is no eligibility criteria to be part of The Shack aside from living in the local Government areas of Bayside, Randwick, Waverley, Woollahra, City of Sydney and George’s River and being of high school age.

The Benevolent Society also run Family Mental Health Support Services in Campbelltown, East Maitland, Logan Central and Milton. If you would like to support the work we do at The Shack, you can make a donation here.

Find out more about the Rural Youth Mental Health Program, The Shack or Family Mental Health Support Services. Or contact us on 1800 236 762.