Youths and families living on the Tilligerry Peninsula in need of support have a new service that they can turn to.
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Caring for Our Port Stephens Youth (COPSY), the not-for-profit group behind Salamander Bay's free youth counselling service Jupiter - A Space to Talk, has joined forces with Tomaree Neighbourhood Centre and, with overwhelming support from the community, has opened up shop in the Kooindah Centre.
Named Tilli Place, located next to the Tanilba Bay Post Office, COPSY is offering youths aged 12 to 21 struggling with their mental health a safe space to talk at no cost while staff from the neighbourhood centre will be on hand to offer food relief and bill repayment assistance.
COPSY president Brooke Vitnell said the community group felt "validated" in their decision to expand Jupiter from Tomaree Library and Community Centre in Salamander Bay to Tanilba Bay after receiving a steady stream of referrals to Tilli Place.
"There's a demonstrated need in the Tilligerry community for more support services, in particular mental health services for the youth here," Mrs Vitnell said. "They've been victims of geography for a really long time. In terms of accessible transportation to Salamander Bay to access Jupiter, it's quite a distance away. It's the same for getting to Headspace in Newcastle. Public transport is unreliable for vulnerable young people to get to those centres. We saw gaps in the capability of this community and decided to take action."
Discussions to expand Jupiter to Tanilba Bay took hold in October 2020. Those discussions stemmed from interagency meetings between community services such as COPSY, organisations including Port Stephens Council and local doctors.
COPSY secretary Meryl Miller and Jupiter general manager Paul Pearton are regular attendees to interagency meetings. Mrs Miller said advocacy from Tanilba Bay Medical Centre GP Dr Marie Shieh about the need for youth mental health services on the peninsula at those meetings was heard by COPSY.
The need was further supported by data COPSY has collected since Jupiter opened in Salamander Bay in 2018.
Between November 2018 and March 2021 Jupiter has welcomed 155 youths through its doors. Youths are able to access 10 free counselling sessions. In a client per month breakdown, a total of 443 youths, or clients, have accessed Jupiter in that time and counsellors have provided 747 counselling sessions.
In 2020, counsellors met 229 clients and provided 414 counselling sessions. In February and March 2021 alone, 77 youths have accessed the Salamander Bay service and 130 counselling sessions have been provided.
A further breakdown shows the rise in demand for the counselling service. In February 2020 Jupiter counsellors provided 39 sessions and in March, 25 sessions. Comparatively, in February 2021 counsellors provided 52 sessions and in March, 78 sessions.
It came as little surprise to Jupiter counsellor Avril Saunders that when Tilli Place opened at the start of April, referrals immediately started pouring in.
"We have a big waiting list at Salamander Bay. As soon as we opened our doors in Tanilba Bay, straight away we've had local GPs referring to us almost daily as well as many self referrals," she said.
Ms Saunders said anxiety, behavioural issues, depression, emotional and physical abuse and family conflict were the top identified reasons why youths had accessed Jupiter's service.
"Data collected over time will reveal any geographical presentations," Ms Saunders said when asked whether she had noted differences in what Tilligerry and Tomaree youths sought Jupiter's assistance for.
"Something unique Tilligerry youths face is a breakdown in their friendships due to there being no high school on the peninsula. Friendships created in primary school are split because they have to go to Newcastle, the Bay or Raymond Terrace high schools. Losing friendships like can make youths feel lost and adds to the pressures they are already feeling. Over time, we could see this as one of the reasons behind youths accessing the service."
When COPSY began the groundwork to expand Jupiter to Tanilba Bay it was immediately met with community support. Among its supporters has been Club Lemon Tree, Tilligerry Men's Shed, the Lions clubs of the Tilligerry Peninsula and Raymond Terrace, Choices Flooring, Blake Smith Carpentry, W.C.A.P Electrical Services, Craig Dunk Plumbing and Myros design pty. Ltd.
Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation and Port Stephens Council grants has helped the Tilligerry expansion, alongside a grant secured by Tomaree Neighbourhood Centre.
Lifelong Port Stephens resident and former mayor Bruce MacKenzie has supported the expansion by offering an empty shopfront he owns in the Kooindah Centre - the former chicken shop - to COPSY rent-free for two years.
"We're incredibly thankful to the MacKenzie family and all of our supporters for their contributions. Those contributions from the local community support their community. But it's not just youth they are helping but the invaluable services Tomaree Neighbourhood Centre are now able to provide to the vulnerable cohorts in the community."
Tomaree Neighbourhood Centre manager Georgina Scott said the service was "excited" to expand its outreach to the Tilligerry Peninsula for the first time.
"We've always taken clients from this area over at Salamander Bay. When Jupiter approached us, we said yes because it makes it that much more accessible. It's definitely been a gap for a long time. It will be nice to be here for the community," she said.
Tilli Place, located in Shop 4 of the Kooindah Centre, will be officially opened on April 23.
The space is currently opened Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. It will open more days as demand increases. The neighbourhood centre holds its emergency relief program on Thursday. Phone 0478 589 978 to make an appointment.
No referral is needed to make a Jupiter appointment. Book by phone 0490 716 265 or visit jupiter.org.au. Follow Tilli Place on Facebook.
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Ellie-Marie Watts
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
