Passionate

about youth mental health

VISION

Access to preventative mental health support for all youth and young people

MISSION

To provide funding to approved counsellors to help prevent mental health decline in youth and young people

Meet the Team

  • Margaret Cowin

    ACTING CHAIR

  • Chantelle Gagchis

    BOARD SECRETARY

  • Ian Ash

    FINANCIAL DIRECTOR

  • Natalie Wild

    PROGRAM DIRECTOR

    (Development & Delivery)

  • Kristine Ash

    FUNDRAISING DIRECTOR

  • Shia Smart

    ROTARY REPRESENTATIVE

Committee Members

  • Darren Hill

    Committee Member

  • Tony Lancaster

    Committee Member

  • Eryka Rhodes

    Committee Member

  • Leon Witt

    Committee Member

  • Alan Yule

    Committee Member

Pilot Program

309 sessions funded

8 Counsellors in the pilot

Cost of Pilot = $30,883.351 

Hour session cost  $100

Community need verified

Working on a responsible funding model, the Pilot Program was funded by the Rotary Club Of Knox and grants from the Knox City Council and Bendigo Bank Ferntree Gully. All grants went directly to counselling fees, with the Rotary Club of Knox funding the administration costs.

Thank you to our pilot collaborative partners

Testimonials

  • “This is the first support to stay with me as I worked through my challenges. When I started, I could not get out of bed. Today, I have secured a full-time job, got my license, moved out of home, and am now paying for my own sessions”

    From a program participant

  • "As a psychotherapist and counsellor, I have found that seeing Simple Steps’ clients is rewarding for me in a couple of ways. Firstly, it is gratifying to be able to offer support to someone who is in immediate need of help, when I know they may have waited weeks or even months without this program. Secondly, because of the age, the varied presenting issues and the diversity of the clients, I find that I have to be more creative as a therapist to adapt my treatment for a particular issue to the developmental level and interest of that client."

    From a Professional

  • "We cannot overstate how much we appreciate this program and the opportunities for counselling and support it has provided to the many (!) young people who are accessing our service. We literally couldn’t have gotten through the last few months without you."New List Item

    From our partner, Headspace

  • "I have so many issues but for the first time I can see them for what they are and am learning skills to work with what I am living with. I'm not there yet but I am thinking about how I can live instead of wanting to die."

    From a youth participant