Mental health support for Hurunui’s young job seekers
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Jack Logan hopes other young people will get to benefit from mental health support as they transition into the workplace.
Logan has benefitted from an online counselling initiative piloted by the Hurunui District Council’s Mayor’s Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) programme.
Known as Clearhead, the online platform has been been designed to make it easier for young people to access support.
‘‘I have been getting help with eating problems, so it has been great. I have benefitted a lot,’’ he said.
‘‘It has been awesome.
‘‘It would be good to see it made available for more young people because it has been really helpful’’.
Logan, who lives at Leithfield Beach, has been supported by the MTFJ on and off for the last three years.
He said the cost of counselling could be daunting, while ‘‘amping yourself up’’ to drive to appointments could be stressful.
The Clearhead platform allowed young people to choose from a selection of counsellors to find the right fit.
‘‘It is a bit like eBay for counsellors.’’
As the sessions were online, ‘‘you can be in your own environment’’, he said.
Logan has picked up a few jobs through the taskforce, including a six month spraying contract with the Department of Conservation and tree planting for a season in the hills near Kaikōura.
He has been working at Elliotts Nursery in Amberley for the past year.
He has also been asked to mentor a group of youngsters starting out in the taskforce.
‘‘We have done some cool things.
‘‘I got thrown into a room with some young kids and we were asked to come up with a logo for the Hurunui taskforce for jobs, and we came up with a really cool logo.’’
Hawarden employer Chen Moked has taken on some youngsters through the taskforce and said it was good to have the back up.
‘‘It is hard to get anyone long term, so this really helps to fill the gaps.’’
He said it was good to have the option of getting support for employees, through Clearhead, as business owners did not always have the tools to offer that support.
The Hurunui District Council has been an early adopter of the service.
Mayor Marie Black said young people in rural areas battling mental health issues ran into many challenges, including remaining anonymous.
‘‘Wait times, travel distance, the lack of choice of counsellor. These are all things that effect the chance of whether our young people reach out for help.
‘‘That stigma around asking for help is still very real in small town communities, so having the option to speak with a specialist from a different region will be empowering for these kids.
‘‘Everyone should have access to mental healthcare, no matter where they live. It is a crucial part in making sure fewer young people fall through the gaps.’’
*Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
New Year, Same Brain Teasers!
A man was found dead with a cassette recorder in one hand and a gun in the other.
When the police pressed “play,” the tape said, “I can’t go on,” and then there was a gunshot.
Yet, the police knew it was a murder.
How?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
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⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
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63% Summer
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35.6% Winter
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1.4% Other - I'll share below
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