Finding Our Way: Youth Participation in the Development and Promotion of Youth Mental Health Services on the NSW Central Coast

Abstract

The National Mental Health Plan 2003–2008 identified that consumer and carer participation and partnership at all levels of policy, planning and treatment should be a hallmark of a quality mental health system. Despite this limited evidence exists in the literature of consumer participation within the youth mental health field. In 2006 the NSW Youth Mental Health Service Model Central Coast Pilot (NSW YMHSM – CC Pilot) funded and developed a model for youth participation, which was subsequently implemented and evaluated by headspace Central Coast between 2007 and 2009. This paper describes this jointly funded youth participation initiative from its development to implementation and evaluation, including the establishment of the Youth Alliance. The Youth Alliance consisted of 15 young people from across the Central Coast, supported by a Youth Alliance Coordinator. The Youth Alliance were a core element of the ycentral and headspace Central Coast service model and were actively involved in the development of youth mental health services on the Central Coast. The Youth Alliance participated in a wide range of training opportunities, consultations, working parties and community awareness activities. The challenges and lessons learnt in implementing the youth participation model will be discussed as will recommendations for the future.