Encouraging young people to talk out loud

Trustworthy. Selfless. Caring

Stacey Mousley is a brave and resilient young woman who has had more than her share of adversity.

But she’s determined to give back and dedicates her spare time to volunteering, wanting to make a positive and lasting impact on her community.

Stacey lost her cousin and a close friend to suicide, and one of her passions is suicide prevention, so she volunteers at Talk Out Loud, where she helps provide a safe space for young people who are struggling with a crisis. “We also try to reach parents of children with mental health issues,” says Stacey, who has a bachelor of psychological science degree and has completed first aid and suicide awareness training.

She says it is “amazing” to have been voted as a Westfield Local Hero. “I am very passionate about youth mental health. It’s good to have the community behind us. It means a lot.”

She says one of the tough times she has faced in her life was in in 2016 when she and her mentor were struck by lightning. Both were admitted to hospital, but “sadly, my mentor passed away. This was hard, but volunteering and providing support to others helped me get through this period of my life.”

Stacey and other volunteers run youth camps for Talk Out Loud and organise various events at the organisation’s premises in Ridgehaven.

“Young people often feel like they are alone and have nowhere to turn to when things are tough, and we help provide a safe space for them.”

Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities, with the three top finalists per Westfield centre each awarded a $10,000 grant for their affiliated organisation. Talk Out Loud will use its grant to fund camps, set up a website, buy signage for its premises and run weekly events, including meditation, workshops, karaoke and movie nights.

“The grant will allow us to sponsor underprivileged people to come to our camps where they have a safe place to come and share their stories and get ongoing support,” says Stacey.

If you need support, please phone on Lifeline: 13 11 14

__For further information on the Westfield Local Heroes program, click here. __