ReachOut.com

ReachOut.com is an internet service for young people that provides information, support and resources about mental health issues and enable them to develop resilience, increase coping skills, and facilitate help-seeking behaviour. The site contains information about issues affecting young people in the form of fact sheets, stories, podcasts and online forums. The ReachOut.com team works with a community of young people, sector partners, professionals, families, donors, teachers and supporters who care deeply for young people and their wellbeing.

Young people play a key role in writing content and developing ReachOut. The service often partners with other health and community service organisations to provide accurate and current information. As the site is informational, users are referred to phone and web counselling services such as Kids Helpline and Lifeline. The majority of ReachOut is written in an informal tone to appeal to the younger audience and broken up into smaller sections, which are usually accompanied by an image.

ReachOut Community Forum

The online forum lets young people share what is happening in their lives in a safe environment moderated by staff and trained moderators. The forums are not a counselling service but often help to refer young people to information and services. They are also a way for ReachOut.com users to connect to each other and find others they can share similar experiences with their peer.

ReachOut Teachers' Network

Launched in April 2007, the ReachOut Teachers’ Network connects secondary school teachers with the ReachOut service by providing classroom lessons on issues that young people may face within the curriculum areas in schools.

ReachOut Parents

In May 2016 ReachOut introduced a new free online service for parents, who want to help but would like to know more about topics such as bullying, self-esteem, anxiety, and social media. ReachOut Parents provides practical support to encourage effective communication between parents and young people aged 12-18 years.

ReachOut Pro

The ReachOut.com Professionals service targets professionals dealing with young people and mental health by providing an online source of information and resources. The provision of these resources aims to provide a way for a range of professionals to engage young people in the treatment and maintenance of better mental health outcomes.

ReachOut Central is a "serious" game that works interactively to help young people explore how thinking, behaviour and feelings interact with each other. A series of real life scenarios allow users to discover how the way they think and feel can positively influence their behaviour (or vice versa) and the impact this has on the outcome of situations. The information provided in the game links with information provided on ReachOut.com through the format of tips and tricks and links to fact sheets.

English

Ireland

http://ie.reachout.com

(access date:  July 2017)