The Hodgman Liberal Government is Building Tasmania’s Future, which means investing more in essential services such as mental health.
Next week’s State Budget will include $250,000 to Speak Up Stay ChatTy to continue its innovative Team ChatTy schools program with the support of Relationships Australia.
The program aims to increase awareness, knowledge, confidence and the skills of young people in secondary schools in relation to their own mental health needs and those of others around them.
It encourages young people to seek help when needed and support their friends to maintain positive mental health by staying connected and chatty.
It has been developed using best practice programs in this space, including Beyond Blue’s SensAbility Program and ReachOut’s Building Resilience in Young People.
Launched last year, more than 500 young people have already participated in the Team ChatTy Schools Program.
The program is the initiative of Tasmanian Young Australian of the Year and Speak Up Stay ChatTy founder, Mitch McPherson, who developed a model for delivering programs in schools to address the priorities outlined in the Government’s Suicide Prevention Strategy and Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy.
Our commitment to Speak Up Stay ChaTy is in addition to more than $16 million in additional funding already announced for mental health in the upcoming State Budget.
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