The charities and Rio Tinto have secured a five-year partnership to support youth mental health and wellbeing in the Pilbara.
Anglicare WA, Channel 7 Telethon Trust and Rio Tinto have formed a five-year partnership to support youth mental health and wellbeing in the Pilbara.
The youth mental health service called Bounce Wellbeing will expand its operations from Karratha to Tom Price.
Bounce supports young people aged 8-13 and their families with ways to address early signs of emotional distress.
Anglicare WA chief executive Mark Glasson said the program will provide much needed support and certainty, noting mental ill-health is the second-leading cause of poor health outcomes in the Pilbara.
“Investment in a dedicated service is critical to supporting the emotional wellbeing of young people in the Pilbara, and this first-of-a-kind program will help ensure young people in the region have the resources and support they need to thrive,” he said.
“The West Pilbara has Western Australia’s third highest rate of hospitalisation for self-harm among people under 24 years of age.”
Key funding partner Rio Tinto commissioned Anglicare WA to design Bounce Wellbeing in collaboration with the local community.
“Anglicare’s scoping study, conducted across the Pilbara last year, revealed what families were experiencing and where support was most needed," Rio Tinto Iron Ore vice president of health safety environment and communities, Caitlin Westgarth, said.
“It became clear that earlier, more accessible support was needed and that families wanted services that felt local, practical and culturally safe.
“Bounce Wellbeing is a direct response to that.
“It’s been shaped by the voices of Pilbara communities, and we’re proud to support a service that meets young people where they are, with care that’s grounded in trust.
“This partnership is part of our commitment to building thriving communities and improving access to mental health support for young people in the region.”
Anglicare WA Pilbara manager Charlene Senior said Bounce helps to provide support for those too young to access existing services.
“Bounce Wellbeing has been co-designed with community to address local challenges, focussing on earlier intervention, family-oriented support and culturally safe practices,” she said.
Channel 7 Telethon Trust chair Richard Goyder was grateful for the community’s support.
“Thanks to the generous donations of the West Australian community, Telethon can provide funding support to organisations like Anglicare WA to deliver essential services and early intervention programs that inspire hope and build resilience for vulnerable families,” he said.
“Together with Rio Tinto, we are helping shape a better and brighter future for young children in the Pilbara facing mental health challenges.”
