Youth charity calls on community for help

With an alarming rate of youth suicide in the Peel region over the last 18 months local charity Homestead For Youth, have been given a boost in funding and now need the community's help to build projects in the fight against youth suicide.

Homestead For Youth, was recently granted $40,000 in funding from Sunsuper and it has allowed them to extend their services at the Pinjarra site.

The local charity is now calling for volunteers to help construct four horse shelters on Saturday February 10 to expand its unique youth mental health awareness and support programs.

Horses are an important component to the family style recovery program for youth.

The group also use cars, outdoor adventures and the arts to engage young people in therapy goals.

Volunteers are being asked to come along to a working day with a chance for the community to come together and focus on helping more young people in the region following the recent loss of young lives in the community to suicide. 

Homestead For Youth co-founder Carla Fadelli said the loss of 15 young people to suicide around the Peel region in the past 18 months was a tragedy and an unacceptable statistic. 

“The death of the any young person really hits home and I know there are many in our community hurting from such tragedies," she said.

“Our Choose Life campaign will be a key focus at our working bee this weekend as we continue to support friends and family and the wider community...

“Last year we supported more than 200 young people and their families in the Peel region and we are eager to double our reach and support this year."

Homestead For Youth won Sunsuper's Dreams for a Better World Grand Final in 2017 and took home $40,000 to expand its program to help and reach more young people in the Peel region. 

The grant paid for equipment and trades that will be used to build new horse shelters in addition to construction of a disabled toilet and shade structures at the Pinjarra property.

Mrs Fadelli said the grant would allow her team to run more sessions on mental health awareness and help many more young people in our community.

"Being outdoors, caring for animals in need of rehabilitation and taking on responsibilities helps young people on our programs to heal, without ever feeling like they are talking to a professional psychologist," she said.

"Plus they gain practical life skills and take big steps towards finding hope, purpose and future employment.

“We know there is an enormous need for our services in the local region and we’re excited to rapidly grow our programs with the help of our supporters, like Sunsuper.”

Homestead for Youth have helped local families and young people overcome drug and alcohol abuse, assisted with suicide prevention and turned young lives around through its unique equine-therapy and outdoor support programs since 2014.

Volunteers can register to attend the Homestead For Youth working bee for Saturday 10 February by emailing info@H4Y.com.au or register for future volunteer days.