Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people face unique geographical, financial and cultural barriers when seeking mental health support. Services that are inclusive, free, and online have the potential to overcome these barriers and reach a large number of young people. For such services to be successful, they must listen to the voices of the young individuals they intend to serve. This is the guiding principle that ReachOut followed while designing and developing its new social and emotional well-being (SEWB) initiative.

In 2022, ReachOut launched 'Meeting where you are,' an Indigenous co-designed SEWB project aimed at supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. These new support services were guided by First Nations young people via a series of consultations, including culturally sensitive workshops led by First Nations organisation Ngakkan Nyaagu (NGNY). Each workshop was designed to allow First Nations young people to share their preferred support methods, the practical things they do to support their SEWB and to provide their feedback on key elements.

This project continuously listens to the voices of young Aboriginal and Torres Islander people and takes into account Indigenous ways of being, doing, and thinking. Through learning, participation, and engagement, ReachOut has established internal capabilities and achieved a truly inclusive approach. ReachOut is now able to better understand the behaviours of young Aboriginal and Torres Islander people so that SEWB support is responsive to the changing needs of our communities in an ever-evolving world.