Tailored work and study support boosts youth mental health, easing family concerns about study and job-related stress, a new study shows.
A recent National Family Mental Health Survey from headspace found that stress from work or studying was in the top five perceived negative influences on young people’s mental health and wellbeing, with one in five (21%) family members concerned.
However, new evidence shows that young people receiving tailored work or study support alongside mental health care experience even greater improvement in their mental health and wellbeing than those who receive standard care.
This month, for headspace’s annual Work and Study Month, the national youth mental health organisation is highlighting the benefits of work and study and how, for young people with mental health challenges, tailored support can improve resilience, build life skills and help them feel confident and connected.
Head of headspace’s Work and Study program, Carolyn Watts, says the impacts of mental health challenges can be a barrier to young people achieving their job and education goals.
“We know that for young people, mental health challenges in adolescence and young adulthood can impact their preparedness to enter the workforce or higher education,” Watts said.
“There are many reasons why someone might not be engaged with the worlds of work or study, such as feeling inexperienced or unprepared to enter the workforce or go to university or TAFE, past negative experiences or having caring responsibilities.”
Watts said experiencing mental health challenges can often lead to young people struggling to keep up with study or secure, and keep, a stable job.
“The longer not working or studying goes on, the harder it is to get into it. In fact, our most recent National Youth Mental Health Survey found that only half (54%) of young Australians feel confident in applying for a job,” she said.
“On the flip side, our research shows that receiving work or study support can have a hugely positive impact on mental health and wellbeing, helping young people feel a sense of purpose and learn new skills, build confidence and self-esteem, and provide those crucial social and support networks.”
Watts said receiving work or study support can also help with feelings of stress and overwhelm that young people often feel, particularly around crucial moments such as exam time.
“Families are often the ones who see the impact of this stress the most.”
Ash Wyllie, 20 years old from Brisbane, is one of the thousands of young people in Australia who’ve reported improved mental health after engaging with headspace Work and Study.
“Before connecting with the headspace Work and Study program, I sometimes lacked confidence in my ability to job search and find the right study options for me,” Wyllie said.
“At headspace, I could ask questions about work and study, figure out what my goals are and start to actually achieve those goals. It was hugely beneficial, and helped me feel more in control of my life. I built a great rapport with my vocational specialist, who created a safe space for me to talk about my future goals.”
In-person work and study support is free and available for 12-25 year-olds at 50 headspace centres nationally. It integrates general mental health support with tailored career advice and helps young people to enrol in study, write resumes and prepare for interviews.
This article originally appeared as a media release from Headspace.