Thanks to the support of the Uptown Estate, Developed by DM Property and Occasio we were able to deliver 15 Reach school workshops for 700 students at 3 different schools in the Shepparton region. The schools include Greater Shepparton Secondary College, All Saints Anglican School and Euroa Secondary College.

This is what facilitator Fern had to say about the experience:
“ Working in Shepparton this past week has been an amazing experience, we have seen so much growth from the young people we have worked with and we can see the positive effect within the school community. Over our 6 workshops we saw the willingness of young people to understand one another better and the want to empower themselves. We look forward to working closely with the Shepparton community and fostering that trusted relationship and continuing to give opportunities for young people to create change for themselves.”

The research shows that preventative mental health work like ours is vital, especially in regional areas like Shepparton. Young people in rural and remote areas face a range of stressors unique to living outside major cities. The cost of living crisis and a lack of mental health resources means that young people experience high levels of mental health concerns as well as low levels of access to mental health support.

It is thanks to the support of DM property and Occasio that young people in Shepparton are able to experience the same opportunities as metro schools, to share honestly, connect with their peers and have open conversation about mental health.