Why outreach is a crucial aspect of providing mental health support for young people
Tellmi believes that the only way to deliver wraparound mental health support at scale is to work collaboratively with young people and the organisations that support them.
At Tellmi, we know to expect regional challenges when it comes to engaging young people in mental health services and support. These are usually underpinned by a variety of factors, including cultural and social barriers, lack of awareness or understanding of available services, and fear of stigma or discrimination. To effectively address these challenges, Tellmi believes in working collaboratively with young people themselves and local pre-existing organisations to gain insight into their experiences and perspectives. By doing so, we get a better understanding of their specific needs and real or perceived barriers to support. This allows us to develop tailored solutions that respond to the challenges that they are experiencing.
When commissioned by the NHS our first goal is to foster local engagement and trust - not only from the young people that we support via our service, but from schools and parents and any groups in the local area that work directly with young people. We offer schools an annual program of activities and engagement materials that promote a whole-school approach to mental health support. Our resources, workshops, and materials are designed to not only introduce Tellmi but also to empower students and equip them with practical tools and techniques to manage their mental health. To ensure that our service is adopted and understood by education, health, and social care professionals, Tellmi offers introductory, training and Q&A sessions for school staff and local service providers.
We know that delivering appropriate mental health support requires collaboration, so we incorporate local resources into the Tellmi directory and actively encourage bidirectional signposting with local services. This approach ensures that students have access to a wide range of resources and services offered by various organisations in their local community. We also provide regular data reports for specific regions, highlighting critical issues and demonstrating outcomes. These reports feature anonymised case studies, which provide insights into the effectiveness of our services and identify areas that might require additional support or investment.
Having a continual presence in the area is crucial for our outreach programs. We aim to not only be recognisable in a school setting but also as part of the wider community. We love working with local sports clubs, art organisations, charities, and local media to ensure that young people know who to turn to and what to expect when faced with an issue.
Mental health is a complex problem and the only chance we have of solving it is if everyone works together.
Tellmi’s vision is a world where no one waits for mental help. Our mission is to design, develop, and deliver safe, scalable, pre-moderated digital peer support and solution-focused therapeutic interventions that measurably improve mental health and happiness in young people. Commissioned by the NHS, or independently by schools and organisations Tellmi is free to access for children and young people, with no referrals, and no waiting times. Contact us for more information.