Year 12 student Sarah is preparing to finish her Higher School Certificate (HSC) with a newfound sense of hope and confidence, thanks to the support of the Rural Youth Mental Health (RYMH) Service.

When she began her HSC year, Sarah was struggling with family challenges, felt she wouldn’t make it through and had planned to drop out of school. “I had no confidence. I was anxious and very quiet. In my eyes, I had no future,” Sarah said. “I was at the point where something had to change.” That’s when she reached out to her school for help, which connected her with the RYMH team and Benevolent Society Mental Health Support Worker, Teagan Usher.

With encouragement and practical strategies, Sarah discovered her strengths and learned how to look after her mental wellbeing. “[The service] has helped me with coping strategies, gaining my independence, and giving myself a sense of hope … I could finish Year 12 … I can do it,” Sarah shared. “Now I’m proud to be happy and excited for my future.” Sarah is now not only on track to complete her HSC but is also studying at TAFE to become a childcare educator.

Teagan described Sarah’s journey as inspiring: “Working with Sarah was an amazing journey of guiding her to realise her innate strengths and reigniting that flame to find that hope again.”

The Rural Youth Mental Health Service is delivered in Western NSW by The Benevolent Society, with funding from Western NSW Primary Health Network (WNSW PHN) through the Australian Government’s PHN Program. The service supports young people aged 12–25 who are living with, or at risk of, mental illness. It provides early intervention through one-on-one therapeutic support, group programs, and case management, tailored to the needs of rural communities.

For Sarah, this support has made all the difference: a fresh outlook and the confidence to pursue goals she once thought were out of reach.

Hear from Sarah in this inspiring story of resilience and support in the video below: