We’ve been working in Northern NSW since 2017, teaming up with communities like Clarence Valley, Ballina, and Richmond Valley to tackle the mental health challenges faced by young people. One of our standout initiatives, the Mental Health Changemakers (MHCM) project, came to life through a strong partnership with the NSW Government Regional Youth Community Coordinator, zeroing in on the Richmond Valley area, including the town of Casino.
This was a big moment for us at batyr as we were able to take a more place-based approach to connect with the community in a regional setting. Casino and its surrounding areas were hit hard by the 2022 floods and there has been a sharp increase in reports of the mental ill-health and youth violence since the COVID lockdowns. With limited access to formal mental health services - Lismore being the only nearby town with a headspace centre - there was a real need for initiatives that could boost resilience and encourage peer support among young people. The MHCM project officially kicked off in March 2023, wrapping up in May 2024.
Through MHCM, we delivered tailored programs and training to young people in the Richmond Valley region, to equip them with the tools and practice needed to become leaders in mental health advocacy. We developed and piloted specialised offerings that focused on building capacity for community-led change. These Programs were all about empowering young people to see the value of their experiences and voices and take charge of their community’s wellbeing.
Here’s what was achieved through the MHCM project:
We trained Casino’s youth in mental health advocacy, communication, and project planning through our Community Leaders Training and The Student Chapter programs.
The batyr Student Chapter group at Casino Christian School successfully advocated for a permanent time in the school’s schedule for students to drop-in and have a safe space to provide peer-to-peer support for each other. They also successfully won funding from NSW Gov. Office for Regional Youth to fit out a physical space at the school.
We spoke to school students about how as a community we can tackle the stigma around mental ill-health upskilled them in how to support one another during tough times.
Participants of the Community Leaders training aged 18-25, ideated on what positive change for young people’s mental health could look like in Casino and were invited by local government and community organisations to consult on the development of a community hub.
We boosted engagement with mental health services and support networks, fostering collaboration between communities, young people, and stakeholders.
Participants gained a better understanding of the available mental health resources and were motivated to break down barriers to accessing support.
From left: batyr staff Rhys Smith, Jake Fariss and Alex Farquhar at The Big Prawn in Ballina as they travel to Casino for the Mental Health Changemakers Project.
But the MHCM project was about more than just training young people to become leaders in their community; it was a concerted effort for a nationally based organisation like batyr to explore what working with an individual community and centering their unique needs could look like. A genuine effort to build lasting relationships with community members and nurture a regionally based Herd.
We wanted to see if we could break the mould of fly-in, fly out program delivery and truly listen to how batyr could respond to their needs. One way we did this was through sending the project team to the ‘Better Chances Engagement Practice Forum in Ballina’, in which we connected directly with established youth advocacy groups and youth services as well as Casino community members to make sure our efforts matched local needs. We also hosted roundtable discussions in Casino to shake the hands of the wonderful people already doing amazing work and pinpoint key issues, stakeholders and ensure the community was aware of our presence so that our programs reached those who needed them most.
batyr Relationship & Booking Lead (QLD-Northern NSW) Rhys Smith with students and teachers.
“The MHCM project has been such a fun and energising way for us to work directly with a regional community and explore how batyr can play a role in supporting young people to be in the driver's seat of change. It’s actually rare that for-purpose organisations like us have the opportunity to stop, forget about scale, reach and growth for a moment and partner with passionate, local champions of mental health and aim for deeper, community-led impact. It’s important for us to remember we’re not always the cure-all to every community’s every issue, and that 1 or 2 school programs won’t always fix everything overnight, but to be led by young people and community leaders on what they need, it’s incredibly affirming that batyr can still be a valuable cog in the wheel of collective, grass-roots initiatives."
Jake Farriss
Design & Development Manager, batyr
We built a strong network of supporters, welcomed passionate young people into batyr’s Herd, and established the credibility of youth voices within the community. The feedback we received from participants and community leaders showed just how valuable our work was and highlighted the ongoing need for support in the region.
Read the full report
By empowering young people to become mental health leaders, we’ve helped create a safer, more supportive environment for youth in the region. Our work continues to inspire young people to take action on mental health, build a community where everyone is encouraged to seek help, and support each other.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis and is in immediate danger of harming themselves or others, call 000. You can find a comprehensive list of mental health support services here.