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bendigo bank, bendigo bank stadium, choirfest, City of Mandurah, John Perry, Madora Bay, madora bay partnership, Mandurah, mandurah mental health services, mental health, peel medical youth services, Peel Region, pyms, pyms charity ball, pyms mandurah, suicide mandurah
Over the last 6 months, the Peel community has been forced to grapple with the senseless tragedy of several youth suicides within our community. These deaths have had an enormous impact not only on the families and friends of those involved, but also on the wider community as a whole.
Unfortunately, suicide is the biggest cause of death in young people in Australia. Youth who come from regional areas tend to be more at risk, with an increase in mental health problems stemming from a variety of issues such as higher unemployment, housing stress and social isolation.
The sharp increase in recent youth suicides in the Peel Region has raised awareness of mental health issues, and also the lack of resources available to our young people. Both state and federal governments have been heavily criticized for their lack of real funding to such an important social issue. Mandurah’s local business community has rallied behind this important cause showing great generosity.
Madora Bay Partnership has made an honourable donation of $25,000 to PYMS (Peel Medical Youth Services) and a further $25,000 donation to Passages Resource Centre. “As local corporate citizens, Madora Bay Partnership is keen to assist in overcoming this scourge on the young community of Peel,” said Madora Bay Partnership Director, John Perry.
PYMS require funding for their 3-Tier Youth Mental Health Program which is ready to be rolled out across schools. Passages Resource Centre assists homeless youth in finding safe accommodation. Other community support has come in the form of charity raising events such as Choirfest which involves more than 300 children holding a concert to raise money towards mental health programs. Bendigo Bank donated $2,500 towards this event and the City of Mandurah donated $2,000. There will also be a PYMS Charity Ball held on the 18th June at Bendigo Bank Stadium with all funds raised going to the PYMS 3-Tier Youth Mental Health Program.