A FAMILIAR face around the Blue Lake city, headspace Mount Gambier volunteer Kyra Sykes has been an avid campaigner for mental health awareness in the region.
Living with mental illness for as long as she can remember, Ms Sykes described her experiences as that of a swimmer trying to keep their head above water.
“I felt like I was out in the ocean and I had my hand up screaming for help but the lifeguard just kept reading a book,” she said.
“That is what our mental health system has been like for so many years and I have been fighting for change for so long.”
Before the youth mental health service opened more than three years ago, Ms Sykes felt isolated trying to improve the city’s Mount Gambier mental health services, with the arrival of headspace in 2016 connecting her like-minded individuals.
Now three years on, Ms Sykes is a key volunteer and seen as one of the facility’s senior members.
Through her position on the Youth Reference Group, Ms Sykes has shaped the way mental health services are delivered in the South East and this experience has lead her to many exciting opportunities through headspace.
Ms Sykes was recently awarded a coveted position on the headspace Youth National Reference Group and is the second Limestone Coast resident to be selected.
The group of around 20 passionate young adults from across Australia participate in an 18 month term sharing their experiences and struggles with mental health to ensure young people’s voices and opinions remain the focus of the organisation.
“Is really heartwarming for me to be able to speak on behalf of our regional community,” Ms Sykes said.
“This is the thing I care most about in my life so having this outlet to make a change and see a difference is amazing.”
As part of the group, Ms Sykes will attend quarterly meetings and host workshops.
Already attending one event, Ms Sykes said the experience has been “incredibly eye-opening”.
“We had a meeting last month in Melbourne where every section of headspace presented to us what they did and what they had planned for the future,” she said.
“It was really intense but really exciting and I got to learn about everyone else’s experiences with mental health.
“Although we are all young, everyone is different and we have vastly different lives, backgrounds and experiences.
“It was so interesting to find out what other people find engaging to them or helpful and then working together to come to a solution.”
With this new experience under her belt, Ms Sykes is looking to the future and a new career path.
“I have been advocating for mental health basically my entire life because that is my reality,” she said.
“It is a reality a lot of people do not feel comfortable talking about, but it’s also the reality for a lot of people.
“I often have young people approach me thanking me for being so vocal, but I guess I just do not know how not to be.
“This has shown me there is a future career in mental health for me and I am so excited to see it blossom further as I go.”
