Posted on 22nd February 2024
Youth Solutions campaign highlights self-care and peer support
Youth Solutions has launched its 2024 It Starts With Us campaign, an annual reminder of the importance of prioritising your health and wellbeing and practicing self-care while supporting those who may be experiencing alcohol, drug or mental health issues.
The campaign, delivered in partnership with Campbelltown Catholic Club, aims to destigmatise and encourage help-seeking for drug, alcohol and related wellbeing issues, by equipping young people with practical tools to take care of themselves and support their peers.
It Starts With Us notes the importance of prioritising self-care, particularly if you have a caring role in your personal or professional life. The campaign particularly runs alongside Youth Solutions and Campbelltown Catholic Club’s Health Pro+ project which provides drug and alcohol education and support to emerging health and community service professionals, to assist them in both their personal and professional lives.
It Starts With Us was launched this month, and will include outreach activities at local tertiary education institutions, distribution of the campaign’s goodies and “guide to supporting others” and a robust digital campaign.
Photo caption: Youth Solutions’ Jess and UOW intern Georgina host an It Starts With Us campaign outreach stall to engage with young people.
Youth Solutions Chief Executive Officer Geraldine Dean said the It Starts With Us campaign underscored the drug and alcohol prevention charity’s vision of “A community of young people with the capacity to live healthy, safe and well-connected lives.”
“To ensure our young people can have healthy, safe and well-connected lives, we have to give them the strategies and skills to look out for themselves and each other,” Mrs Dean said.
“This campaign aims to normalise help-seeking for drug and alcohol related issues and aims to equip our young people and the next generation of youth supporters with some practical strategies to first take care of themselves and then to support their peers with these issues. From checking-in, through to navigating services and support options, we can all play a key role in helping our peers to get the support they need.”
Mrs Dean said the campaign and Health Pro+ project would not be possible without support and funding from long-term Major Corporate Partner, Campbelltown Catholic Club. “We are so grateful to the Club and its team for their support and for helping us to make a difference in this space.”
Campbelltown Catholic Club General Manager Michael Lavorato also commended the campaign and partnership with Youth Solutions.
“Here at Campbelltown Catholic Club, we are committed to supporting and keeping our community safe,” Mr Lavorato said. “It Starts With Us is practical guide to supporting and looking out for each other. Everyone needs support at certain times in their lives, and this campaign highlights how we can do that in caring, non-intrusive but effective ways. We are proud to support Youth Solutions and its work on this important campaign.”
Get involved:
A snapshot of the top It Starts With Us tips:
Photo caption: Youth Solutions CEO Geraldine Dean presents a certificate of appreciation to Campbelltown Catholic Club Marketing Coordinator Jess Satara.
