ARCS Program – Emerging Issues- and How to Respond Collaboratively and Swiftly Across The Sector
Tracks
Springbrook Room - In Person Only
| Tuesday, March 19, 2024 |
| 10:25 AM - 10:45 AM |
| Springbrook Room |
Overview
Ash Simpson, Stride
Details
Presentation Key Learnings
1. Process of how we identified an emerging issue, then codesigned a support program with young people on the emerging challenge to support young people. Tools and tips on how to do this across another service/ organisation.
2. Considerations and recommendations of how to support young people with resilience. Noting that young people’s resilience, broadly has declined, and in a post COVID world and with some many challenging situations (Climate change, weather events, impacts from cost of living for families), that young people need to be more resilience that ever.
3. How to bring service partners, funders, and young people on the journey to aim to address the challenge/ issue.
Speaker
Mr Ash Simpson
Regional Manger Youth Integrated Services
Stride Mental Health
ARCS Program – Emerging issues- and how to respond collaboratively and swiftly across the sector
Abstract
The ARCS program is being developed in consultation with young people, Stride clinicians and best practice youth mental health organisations to support an emerging issue that young people have been facing.
It is evidenced by emerging research promoting the development of resilience in young people in an effort to support mental health and well-being, particularly as means of early and brief intervention.
The program was developed in response to feedback from Stride clinicians, who have reported an increase in young people presenting with socially driven mild mental health concerns (which was further supported by a large Australian annual youth mental health survey undertaken by external organisations); and an absence in factors related to
resilience in young people, including the ability to self-reflect, connect with others, mindfulness, and gratitude.
An early intervention psychosocial group program provides a means to keep young people engaged and, in some instances, address their concerns without them requiring more intensive clinical intervention.
Early intervention psychosocial groups can reduce the need for young people to require 1:1 clinical engagement. This is not only more cost-effective, but it also reduces over-pathologising young people’s mental health experiences, which are often age- and socially appropriate.
Eleven young people, along with Stride staff, worked together in the development of the program, which takes place over seven weeks covering the topics below:
• Introduction/overview: Language of Resilience and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
• Adaptability: Fight, flight freeze, Relevant neurological and
• psychological stress responses, Adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies
• Connections: Loneliness as a health condition, Safe and secure attachments, relationship ecosystem
• Self: Defining `self’, Personality characteristics, Facing fears
• Reflection: Coping strategies, Avoidance coping, Internal and external gratitude
• External influences: Scope of influence, Boundaries
• Thrive: Creativity and mentorship
It is evidenced by emerging research promoting the development of resilience in young people in an effort to support mental health and well-being, particularly as means of early and brief intervention.
The program was developed in response to feedback from Stride clinicians, who have reported an increase in young people presenting with socially driven mild mental health concerns (which was further supported by a large Australian annual youth mental health survey undertaken by external organisations); and an absence in factors related to
resilience in young people, including the ability to self-reflect, connect with others, mindfulness, and gratitude.
An early intervention psychosocial group program provides a means to keep young people engaged and, in some instances, address their concerns without them requiring more intensive clinical intervention.
Early intervention psychosocial groups can reduce the need for young people to require 1:1 clinical engagement. This is not only more cost-effective, but it also reduces over-pathologising young people’s mental health experiences, which are often age- and socially appropriate.
Eleven young people, along with Stride staff, worked together in the development of the program, which takes place over seven weeks covering the topics below:
• Introduction/overview: Language of Resilience and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
• Adaptability: Fight, flight freeze, Relevant neurological and
• psychological stress responses, Adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies
• Connections: Loneliness as a health condition, Safe and secure attachments, relationship ecosystem
• Self: Defining `self’, Personality characteristics, Facing fears
• Reflection: Coping strategies, Avoidance coping, Internal and external gratitude
• External influences: Scope of influence, Boundaries
• Thrive: Creativity and mentorship
Biography
Ash Simpson has an MBA and has been a leader in the not-for-profit mental health space for over ten years. Currently, Ash is the Regional Manager for Stride Mental Health, overseeing the youth portfolio, which includes Headspace Centres, Youth Employment Programs, and an Early Psychosis program.
Ash is passionate about system change and design and working with young people to co-design services that better address their health needs.
