Spring 2006

Wellbeing and connectedness

Reaching out over the Net

Carolyn Sullivan and Jane Burns raise awareness of the role of a powerful Internet resource to engage young people to improve and maintain their emotional health and wellbeing.

Recent studies show that approximately 12 per cent of those aged 12–17 experience mental health difficulties, and that by the age of 18–24, the prevalence of mental health disorders has increased to 26 per cent (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2003).

National data indicates that of the one in five children and adolescents with a mental health problem, only 29 per cent will speak with a professional service of any type (Sawyer et al., 2000). This low figure is disturbing given the impact that poor mental health can have on a young person’s life, often making it difficult to achieve at school, make friends and participate in community. To increase awareness of mental health and to promote appropriate and effective help-seeking behaviours, it is essential to consider settings in which young people feel comfortable and supported.

In 2005, the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts found that 85 per cent of young people aged 14–24 reported using the Internet. Research also shows that the Internet can be an effective tool in strengthening a range of mental health indicators (Wyn et al., 2005). In light of this, the Internet should be seen as a setting for potential service delivery that can reach a large proportion of the population who do not currently utilise traditional support services.

In a national survey conducted by Mission Australia in 2005, participants aged 15–19 reported that after family and friends, they would turn to the Internet for support if going through a tough time rather than a telephone help line, doctor, minister, teacher or school counsellors (see Table 1).

Table 1: Where do people aged 15–19 turn for advice and support?

‘This might just relate to me but I really don’t like opening up to other people and asking for advice so I guess this is my way to find advice without spilling my feelings.’

Male, aged 16

How does Reach Out! work?

Reach Out! is the flagship initiative of the Inspire Foundation, a national charity that uses the Internet and related technology to enable young people to help themselves and others. Reach Out! was launched in 1998 in response to the escalating rates of youth suicide and is designed to complement existing sources of support for young people. Since its launch, Reach Out! has established itself as the leading Internet-based service for young people, reaching approximately 100,000 young people per month.

Reach Out! promotes emotional health and wellbeing by providing information and support and building young people’s capacity to make meaningful connections and get through tough times. On the site, young people can access:

• over 250 fact sheets on issues likely to affect their mental health and wellbeing, including information about depression, relationships, alcohol, exam stress, managing independence and managing adversity
• personal stories from young people and role models who have been able to get through their tough times
• a peer moderated community forum that provides a space for young people to offer each other support and share experiences with other young people from all over Australia
• an interactive game environment known as Reach Out! Central (ROC)—an educational tool that assists young people to develop life skills critical to managing depression, building resilience and preventing poor health outcomes.

What can schools do?

The Inspire Foundation has been working with teachers to find ways to link Reach Out! into the curriculum. A series of classroom activities is being developed by Curriculum Corporation and will soon be available. These resources complement the national programs produced by ‘MindMatters’ and ‘beyondblue’.

A key challenge for Reach Out! is to increase awareness of the site. Our challenge is to ensure that we reach all young Australians in the next five years. Between 1999 and 2003 Reach Out! had a presence in 236 secondary schools and evaluation revealed that while teachers found Reach Out! a useful resource for supporting young people through tough times, they struggled to fit it into a busy school schedule. The Reach Out! education program aims to alleviate this.

‘I found this site great to give me insight into the issues facing my students. It gave me some topics to discuss and ideas on how to get them thinking about themselves and the issues they face in positive ways. Thanks.’

Teacher

What are the benefits?

Accessibility: Young people are using technology in different ways, watching less television in favour of playing computer games or spending time on the Net. It makes sense to offer Internet access to relevant information and support.

Anonymous, confidential and available at any time: Young people commonly say that they prefer not to talk about their tough times because they are embarrassed or concerned about confidentiality. A web-based service allows access to support at any time that suits them in an anonymous and confidential manner.

‘I have admitted to depression recently. I checked the site for information … I knew it wasn’t going to solve my problems on the spot but it did give me a good first step. I found a friend to talk to (it’s in one of the fact sheets) and also saw a counsellor, visited my doctor to get some medication and have been referred to a psychiatrist … If I hadn’t talked to someone I would have done something regrettable. It was Reach Out! that got me on the right track.’

Female, aged 17

Conduit to other services:

The available information increases young people’s help-seeking behaviour. It increases their understanding of the issue they are experiencing, and emphasises the benefits of talking to someone, advising how to do this in a safe and confidential way.

Appeal to young males: Given their low access to traditional mental health services, an anonymous, web-based service provides an opportunity to engage young men.

Part of youth culture: Young people from all around Australia are actively involved in the service to ensure Reach Out! is closely aligned with their needs, interests and language. Youth brand partners and inspirational website content make Reach Out! a space where young people can feel comfortable, increasing their likelihood of turning to it when they need help.

Please recommend www.reachout.com.au to all young people in your care.

References

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2003). Australia’s Young People: Their health and wellbeing, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Canberra.

Commonwealth Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (2005). Current State of Play, available via www.dcita.gov.au

Sawyer, Arney et al. (2000). The Mental Health of Young People in Australia: The child and adolescent component of the national survey of mental health and wellbeing, AGPS Canberra.

Wyn et al., (2005) Young People, Wellbeing and Communication Technologies, available via www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/

Carolyn Sullivan is Reach Out! program manager.

Jane Burns is director of research and policy at the Inspire Foundation.

The author owns the copyright in this article. For information related to the reuse of this work in any form please contact the publisher denise.quinn@curriculum.edu.au