How is ReachOut helping young people to feel better?
ReachOut is a 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 challenge they’re facing. We provide 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.
Anonymous, free and 100% 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 25 years.
Additionally, 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.
Bridging the gap in youth mental health support
Two in five (40%) young people are experiencing mental health difficulties. Despite the high numbers of young people in Australia experiencing challenges with their mental health, there are barriers preventing them from seeking professional support.
At ReachOut, we are committed to ensuring more young people have access to the support they need by providing evidence-based digitally-delivered early-intervention services. In 2020, we began a process of reimagining how our services might best engage and communicate meaningfully with young people in the digitally mediated world they exist in today. We conducted research and found that young people are after ‘always on’ non-clinical channels of support to deliver immediate relief. By meeting young people where they are – the digital realm – we identified an opportunity to use technology to provide them with support that meets their unique needs.
Last year ReachOut launched a new digital one-to-one peer support service called PeerChat. PeerChat connects young people with trained peer workers who understand the issues they face because they’ve been there before themselves.
ReachOut PeerChat is designed to help young people feel understood, reduce feelings of isolation, provide a sense of hope, feel better and increase knowledge about where to get further support.
Through online text chat, young people can talk for free for up to 45 minutes with a trained peer worker who has their own experience of mental health or life challenges. This digitally-delivered service helps to lower the barriers to help-seeking. It is an affordable solution that can be accessed anywhere in Australia, no matter your location.
To learn more about the services ReachOut offers, including PeerChat, check out our website: www.reachout.com.
