Ku-ring-gai Youth Development Service is a local counselling service for children and young people.
Founded by Lindfield Rotary in partnership with Ku-ring-gai Council, KYDS has been a staple in the community for over 15 years, and continues to grow and expand yearly. KYDS provides free confidential counselling from a team of qualified mental health professionals.
Young people have a host of reasons for coming to KYDS for help, including struggles with grief, family and friendship breakdowns, bullying, depression and anxiety, body image concerns, self-harm, and school stress. KYDS serve the community by providing young people with the opportunity to have their problems heard and dealt with without the burden of paying for treatment.
In 2005, KYDS first opened its doors as a registered charity, operating out of the library in Lindfield, helping over 300 people in the first year. Now, according to the 2022 Impact Report, KYDS provided almost 6000 sessions, made possible by critical funding. Data collected between 2021 and 2022, funding meant that KYDS were able to take 34% more referrals, equating to 500 more sessions in 2022 than the previous period.
‘It’s very easy for [young people] to access because they don’t need to get a mental health plan or to go and see a GP first,’ says Helen Jarvis, KYDS Chair. ‘‘They can reach out and connect with our counsellors and get the support in a way that’s really responsive to their needs.’
KYDS places a great deal of emphasis on building rapport between counsellors and clients to establish therapeutic relationships. Most young people are reaching out to have their stories and stresses heard early before it spirals into a crisis.
‘Navigating the mental health space can be really challenging,’ Dr Anthony Rigney, KYDS CEO. ‘You don’t want to have to retell your story multiple times. At KYDS, we focus on telling your story once.’
The Post is holding an event for International Women’s Day. Part of the proceeds are being donated to KYDS. Tickets are available for purchase.
To find out more about KYDS, visit www.kyds.org.au/
