Key points

• New evidence suggests tailored work and study support for young people leads to better mental wellbeing and quality of life.
• This is welcome news as 1 in 5 families report being concerned about the impact work and study stress can have on young people’s mental health.
• Participating in work or study can help young people feel confident, empowered and connected, reducing the risk of poorer financial and wellbeing outcomes.
• With only half (54%) of young Australians feeling confident in applying for a job, young people are encouraged to seek support from headspace.

New first-of-its-kind research released today from headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation has revealed that while families are concerned about the impact of work and study stress on their young people, tailored work and study support can actually enhance mental health.

headspace's recent national Family Mental Health Survey found that one in five families were concerned about the impact stress from work and study was having on their young person. This placed ‘work and study stress’ in the top five list of concerns families had about their young person’s mental health in the survey.

However, new evidence* shows that young people receiving tailored work or study support, alongside mental health care, experience even greater improvement in their mental health and wellbeing than those who receive standard care.

This March, for headspace’s annual Work and Study Month, the National Youth Mental Health Organisation is highlighting the benefits of work and study and how, for young people with mental health challenges, tailored support can improve resilience, build life skills and help them feel confident and connected.

Head of headspace’s Work and Study program, Carolyn Watts, says the impacts of mental health challenges can be a barrier to young people achieving their job and education goals.

“We know that for young people, mental health challenges can impact their preparedness to enter the workforce or higher education. There are many reasons why someone might not be engaged with the worlds of work or study, such as feeling inexperienced or unprepared to enter the workforce or go to university or TAFE, past negative experiences or having caring responsibilities.

Often, experiencing mental health challenges can lead to young people struggling to keep up with study or secure, and keep, a stable job. The longer not working or studying goes on, the harder it is to get into it. In fact, our most recent National Youth Mental Health Survey found that only half (54%) of young Australians feel confident in applying for a job.

“On the flip side, our research shows that receiving work or study support can have a hugely positive impact on mental health and wellbeing, helping young people feel a sense of purpose and learn new skills, build confidence and self-esteem, and provide those crucial social and support networks. It can also help with feelings of stress and overwhelm that young people often feel, particularly around crucial moments such as exam time – and families are often the ones who see the impact of this stress the most.”

Ash Wyllie, 20 years old from Brisbane, is one of the thousands of young people in Australia who’ve reported improved mental health after engaging with headspace Work and Study.

“Before connecting with the headspace Work and Study program, I sometimes lacked confidence in my ability to job search and find the right study options for me,” Ash said.

“At headspace, I could ask questions about work and study, figure out what my goals are and start to actually achieve those goals. It was hugely beneficial, and helped me feel more in control of my life.

“I built a great rapport with my vocational specialist, who created a safe space for me to talk about my future goals."

One-on-one work and study support is available online for 15-25 year-olds, and the headspace Career Mentoring initiative pairs young people aged 18-25 with volunteer professionals based on their career interests and goals, to provide advice and guidance. More information about the Work and Study program can be found on the headspace website.

In-person work and study support is free and available for 12-25 year-olds at 50 headspace centres nationally. It integrates general mental health support with tailored career advice and helps young people to enrol in study, write resumes and prepare for interviews.

General support for young people aged 12 to 25 who are struggling with their mental health is also available via phone and online counselling service eheadspace seven days a week between 9am–1am (AEST). The number is 1800 650 890.

If you’re looking for someone to talk to immediately, Lifeline (13 11 14), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), and 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) are available to talk 24/7.