EPIC connects northern Sydney parents with youth support organisations
““I thought the event was great. I felt the very best part of the event was the panel discussion. The introduction of the youth support organisations was also very valuable to anyone looking for support. “”
Cold, wet weather doesn’t stop parents of Sydney’s north shore and northern beaches seeking help and support for their teenagers.
On Wednesday 22 June, more than 100 parents, carers, and others interested in the mental health of teenagers, gathered at Roseville Cinema for EPICS’s first community event.
The event included the screening of Connecting the Dots, the first feature documentary of its kind to offer a raw and intimate look at youth mental health from a global perspective. This was followed with a short panel discussion with Streetwork and KYDS, and concluded with the opportunity for parents and carers to chat with representatives from youth support organisations, including:
- KYDS Youth Development Services
- Taldumande Youth Services
- The Northern Centre
- Headspace
- SDECC
- Streetwork
- Harrison Riedel Foundation
- Phoenix House
- Mission Australia
- Relationships Australia
One of the greatest challenges for a parent is not knowing how to help their teenager struggling with mental health related issues. Whether it’s an eating disorder, anxiety, self-harm, drug and alcohol use, or school refusal, to name just a few of the concerns families are dealing with, access to youth support and mental health organisations can be difficult to tap into quickly.
The purpose of the event was to create a space to forget stigma, form an understanding of the importance of addressing youth mental health in the community, provide parents and carers with access to organisations as well as other parents going through similar issues, and to help parents understand they are not alone.
At the conclusion of the panel with StreetWork and KYDS, responses to the final question had a common message:
Q: What is one take-away for parents tonight wanting to connect with their teenager?
"Learn the words to your kid’s favourite rap song and then surprise them with a performance. You’ll either be more relatable, or so cringe they’ll never want to listen to rap again. The important thing is you took time to explore their interests and validate their identity." Tom Dent, StreetWork.
“Take time to understand what’s going on in their life before giving advice. The more time you spend building an understanding of their world, the more likely they are to be curious about other choices they could be making. Consider if there is a question you could ask rather than a statement.” Dr Anthony Rigney, KYDS Youth Development Services.
EPIC would like to extend its thanks to Turramurra and Lindfield Community Bank, for funding this important event.
View the resources page for links to youth support organisations.
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