MercyCare was selected for its ground-breaking co-design process used to develop Amber Youth Wellness, a new youth mental health outreach service launched earlier this year.
“Being selected as a finalist is fantastic recognition for MercyCare’s Youth Service’s team. From the very start they threw out the traditional model of ‘telling’, but instead listened and involved everyone involved throughout the entire design process, especially young people themselves,” MercyCare Community, Family and Children Services Executive Director David Holden said.
“This project recognised the importance of developing a service with critical input from young people and important stakeholders, including the WA Primary Health Alliance.
“By truly listening and acting on those lessons, we hope to go some way in addressing the inadequacies in Australia’s current mental health service system so it can better support young people.”
The free specialist mental health service supports young people in Perth’s northern suburbs, aimed at 12-25 years old who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health needs or facing complex life challenges.
The free outreach service is designed to help those looking for help to function better, improve mental wellness and relationships.
During the co-design diverse stakeholders were engaged, including young people with lived experience of mental ill health; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people; Culturally and Linguistically Diverse young people; their supportive circle of care (parents, siblings and carers); health practitioners (nurses, social workers, pediatricians and psychologists); academic researchers and more than 40 health and social sector organisations.
The Award winners will be announced on November 25.
To find out more about Amber Youth Wellness, visit amberYW.mercycare.com.au
