A group of 15 enthusiastic young people from across the region participated in Teen Mental Health First Aid training last week.
The program - organised by Council's Youth Development Team - aims to empower young people aged 12-18 years with the skills and tools to provide mental health first aid to their peers, along with increasing awareness about mental wellbeing.
"Think of it like regular first aid training but for your mental health", said Snowy Monaro's Youth Development Officer Mel Sass.
"Ensuring that all young people in our region have adequate access to wellbeing and mental health support is a key objective of the Youth Strategy* and this program was introduced to help deliver on that goal.
"Research has shown that taking part in this kind of training helps reduce the stigma around mental health, increases help-seeking behaviours and provides the confidence for young people to have those difficult conversations with their mates."
This accredited training program was facilitated by Headspace and the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP), and was funded by Snowy Monaro Regional Council to enable it to be offered at no cost to participants.
Anyone interested in taking part in future Teen Mental Health First Aid training can join the 2021 waitlist by emailing [email protected]
