$20k boost to support Reconnect clients’ mental health

The Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre will be able to make mental health services easier to access thanks to an incredible $20,000 donation.

Red Bike Adventures made the donation this week after fundraising in the community.

Following discussions with the Reconnect Youth centre team, the Red Bike team became aware of the challenges many of the community’s most vulnerable faced when trying to access mental health services.

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Reconnect Youth Centre Coordinator, Melissa Lay, said the support from Red Bike would make a major difference in the lives of people needing mental health support.

“We were so excited to get the conversation started around the mental health issues we’re having in the area,” Melissa said.

“We’re struggling to get support straight away when our clients need early intervention, before things get really bad and we end up with the high suicide rates we have been seeing.”

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While the Hervey Bay Neighbourhood Centre does not directly offer mental health services, the donated funds will be used to support existing Reconnect Youth Centre clients to access help from local practitioners.

“We can get in on the ground and offer those support services where they can see a mental health practitioner straight away,” Melissa said.

“It may be they’re seeing a practitioner now and have run out of money.

“We’re not using the money ourselves, it’s going to practitioners in mental health support.”