‘Prevent youth suicide, depression and self-harm’

The purpose of Youth Focus is to support young people 12-18 years and their families who are showing early signs associated with suicide, depression and self-harm.

Youth Focus is a West Australian, non profit community based organisation working with young people between 12-18 years of age who are showing early signs associated with suicide, depression and self harm. Youth Focus offers community based individual youth counselling, family therapy and peer support services, designed for youth whom have been difficult to engage, or have had difficulty accessing support from other services and work to prevent the devastating tragedy a suicide cause’s family and friends for what is a totally senseless and avoidable loss of a young life.

Youth Focus is unique in that it provides holistic early intervention services which encompass one-on-one personalised therapy, peer support programs and outreach services, whereby counsellors can meet with clients at school or other convenient locations in the community, differentiating Youth Focus from other youth organisations.

Youth Focus employs 28 staff, with a team of youth and family counsellors, psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists.  Our mission is aided by approximately 40 regular volunteers who participate in our Peer Support Camps and numerous fundraising events throughout the year.

Youth Focus has been established since 1994 and operates within the metro and outer metro areas of Joondalup, Kwinana, Rockingham and Mandurah and has recently set up office in Bunbury and Collie to service the region.

Thanks to the support of our corporate partners and a successful events program, Youth Focus is able to generate more than 80% of its operating revenue through non-government sources. As a result, there is no limit on the number of counselling sessions a child or family member can receive and service delivery can be tailored on a case by case basis to best meet the needs of the client.

Suicide attempts by adolescents are frequent and admission to hospital because of intentional self-harm is approximately 15 times more common than completed suicide. In fact, almost one-third of young people who complete suicide have made a prior attempt. This year’s Australian Democrat Youth Poll found that more than 50% of young people “knew someone who has committed suicide or seriously considered committing suicide.”

There is strong evidence to show that successful interventions for depression and other mental health disorders are available, affordable and cost-effective. However, there is an enormous gap between the need for prevention and treatment of mental disorders and the resources available. In developed countries with well organised health care systems, between 44% and 70% of patients with mental health disorders do not receive treatment.

Youth Focus is in need of continual support by the local community and businesses to cope with what will become an imbalance of funding and special needs due to additional call on our services for young people and families who are experiencing mental stress and strain through the current financial crisis.

Funding for our programmes is primarily from events that we hold and from corporate sponsorship, only 10.5% of our funding is provided by the Government.