Why is Your Mental Health So Important?
Having good mental health is important because it affects every aspect of life, from physical health to relationships and overall satisfaction. Understanding and nurturing your mental wellbeing matters. Mental health often fluctuates and can be shaped by various internal and external factors in your life. Understanding and taking care of your mental health has remarkable benefits for yourself and those around you.
Just as we prioritise our physical health, nurturing our mental wellbeing is essential for resilience, emotional stability, and overall happiness. Managing stress, seeking support, and practicing self-care can enhance your quality of life, foster healthier relationships and allow you to contribute positively to your community. Mental health is the cornerstone of self-development.
It’s important to remember that there is nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to mental health. Acknowledging and seeking help for mental health concerns is a sign of strength. Having open conversations about mental health can work toward reducing stigma and ensuring that everyone, regardless of age, feels comfortable seeking the support and resources they need to nurture their mental health.
Supporting mental health involves fostering open and empathetic communication, creating safe spaces for people to share their struggles, and promoting access to mental health resources. These all seek to help people in need but also reduce the stigma. By encouraging understanding and acceptance and promoting awareness, education, and destigmatisation we can all create a world where seeking help is a good thing.
Join us in making mental health a priority.
Our Preventive Mental Health Programs
At the Y NSW, we’re committed to our belief in the power of inspired young people and our vision of communities where every person thrives in body, mind and spirit. We understand the significance of mental health in achieving a balanced and fulfilling life.
In our Youth and Community Programs we empower young people and the communities they live in through a range of programs including Y Spaces, Alternative Suspension, Youth Parliament, Streetgym, and Call a Youth Worker. Our youth programs focus on physical and mental wellbeing, life skills, advocacy, and building resilience.
Our Recreation Centres across NSW offer welcoming spaces where people of all ages and fitness levels can enjoy the benefits of physical activity. The Y NSW offers a range of fitness classes from group fitness to Teen Gym as well as gymnastics and a range of other sports and activities like trampolining, dance, and basketball. Our members can also access Ability Programs for people living with disability.
Call a Youth Worker
Call a Youth Worker is a support line for young people aged 12 to 25 years. The support line gives you access to information about local services and support. Youth Workers can assist callers with referrals to other services, information about support in local areas, information about online activities that can support health and wellbeing and more.
The Y NSW Call a Youth Worker program is not a crisis or counselling service. Call a Youth Worker is available in the Central Coast, Cooma and Western Sydney. For hours of operation, contact and booking information you can visit our Call a Youth Worker page.
Teen Mental Health Training
Teen Mental Health First Aid teaches teens about the different types of mental health problems and crises young people may face. The Mental Health Firs Aid Australia accredited course supports participants how to recognise changes in their friends' thinking, feelings, or behaviour that could indicate a mental health problem. Teen Mental Health First Aid empowers young people to offer initial mental health first aid and support and provides them with the necessary tools to connect with a trusted adult.
Trained Y NSW staff provide facilitation to young people in this program where they engage in discussions about mental health, address myths and stigma and empower them to be vigilant around their friends.
StreetGym
StreetGym at the Y NSW is a free program that provides young people aged 12 to 18 years with the opportunity to engage in activities in their neighbourhood. StreetGym gives participants the opportunity to work on other aspects of their lives while staying active. Young people are provided with a sense of community by coming together with like-minded people in a public space.
YSpace Online
Y Space Online is your digital directory for all things in your area. Find out more about local opportunities and events, your nearest education, employment and training organisations, resources and referral pathways, as well as sporting and volunteering opportunities. The Y NSW has compiled a wide range of information and resources online for young people.
Current locations for Y Space Online include Y Space Central Coast, Y Space Snowy Monaro and Y Space South-West Sydney with Y Space Western Sydney and Far-West coming soon. Find localised support, activities and more online now!
Some Coping Strategies to Try For Managing Your Mental Health & Wellbeing
Coping strategies are essential tools for us all to use when managing our mental health and wellbeing. Think of your coping strategies like a personalised toolkit that’s been designed to help you, and those around you, respond to stress, anxiety, and other emotional hurdles.
Implementing coping strategies is crucial. Coping strategies can empower us to build resilience, reduce our emotional distress, and maintain our overall wellbeing. You can tailor your coping strategies to fit your unique needs, preferences, and circumstances which makes them a wonderfully versatile resource for anyone seeking to enhance their mental health and wellbeing.
When tailoring coping strategies, it’s important to identify your specific stressors and triggers. This pinpoints which strategy or strategies are most useful for you. Incorporating practices like regular exercise, mindfulness, and maintaining a support network will allow you to manage your mental health challenges more effectively. Here are some fantastic strategies to get you started:
Breathing: this is a really simple and effective strategy for managing stress and mental wellbeing. Taking deliberate and slow breaths can activate your body’s relaxation response which can reduce anxiety and promote a sense of calm. Try and practice this in a quiet space where you feel comfortable and close your eyes, exhale in and out slowly, and envision releasing the tension with every breath.
Mindfulness: a quick and effective way to reduce your stress and enhance your mind. But what is mindfulness? Simply, it’s about pausing and paying attention to the present moment. You can pay attention to your current thoughts, sensations and surroundings without any judgement. You might also find it useful to acknowledge five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste to assist in high stress moments. This exercise helps bring you back to the moment. Regular mindfulness practice can be used in your daily life and is a really valuable tool for emotional wellbeing.
Getting Creative: express your emotions and find comfort in your own creativity. This can be through art, writing, music, dance, or any other creative outlet. The act of creation is therapeutic and gives us an opportunity to process emotions, explore new perspectives, and experience a sense of accomplishment.
Using creativity as a coping strategy is a powerful tool which allows us to turn difficult moments into opportunities for self-expression and personal growth.
These are just a few examples of coping strategies. It’s really important for you to choose the ones that resonate with you, fit who you are as an individual and support your current journey.
Supporting a Friend
From time to time your friends may need support from you and other people around them. People reach out needing someone who will understand and support their mental health. Being there for your friends and listening to them can provide immense amounts of relief and comfort.
Even if you haven’t experienced what your friend is going through you can still be empathetic. Offer words of comfort and encouragement. Check in with your friends and ask how they’re doing. Ensure you listen without trying to solve. For periods of high stress, like exam time, you could even try becoming a study buddy, so your friends don’t feel so alone.
From time to time, you may need to encourage your friend to speak to a trusted adult. It’s not up to you to fix things for them but you can remind them that there are people they can talk to like a trusted teacher or a school counsellor. If your friend is too worried to go alone, you can even offer to go with them.
Remember to take care of yourself during these times as well.
Reach Out for Support
If you are feeling stressed, anxious or worried about anything, you can get support from people you trust as well as professionals. When it comes to mental health speaking up is a game changer. Your voice is your most powerful tool.
Whatever you’re feeling, it’s important to know that your feelings are valid. Whether it’s stress, anxiety, or sadness, what you’re experiencing, or what you’ve experienced, matters. Speaking up can be quite scary but doing so can help you acknowledge what you’re feeling and start the journey toward healing.
Speaking up is a sign of strength, not weakness. Remember that. It’s a crucial step toward taking control of your mental health. Your voice matters and by using it you’re not only helping yourself but also those around you.
We have listed below some fantastic help lines that are free to call with some, like Lifeline, open 24/7. No problem is too big or too small, and you will not be judged. Reach out today.
Lifeline | 24/7 phone support on 13 11 14
BeyondBlue | call a counsellor on 1300 22 4636 or chat online
Kids Helpline | call 1800 55 1800
ReachOut | online chat with peer support available
13YARN | 24/7 phone support on 13 92 76
Children’s Rights
Children need rights so that they can live their fullest life. These rights apply to all children regardless of their identity, socio-economic status or location. These include the right to be safe, healthy and happy. Children have the right to safety and protection free from violence and abuse with a safe place to live, access to healthy and nutritious food, safe water and medical care.
Other rights include access to education and mass media, privacy protections under the law, the right to have a say and be heard especially for issues that directly affect them, freedom from discrimination and access to legal information and support when needed. Children also have the right to be themselves with cultural and religious freedoms and the right to be happy.
All children have the right to be protected from anything that could harm their development or wellbeing. Parents and carers can discover more about children’s rights from the Kids Helpline.
Safeguarding
The Y is recognised as a leader in safeguarding, and it is at the heart of all we do. The safety, wellbeing and empowerment of children and young people is our highest priority. Our National Safeguarding Framework, strategy, policy and guidance provide robust foundations to ensure that all children and young people are safe and feel safe at the Y, in their families and communities.
