Introducing The Better Health Generation (TBHG) Youth Advisory Committee (YAC)! Say hello to Matt, Sophie and Monu – our eyes and ears on the ground. The YAC was formed to ensure that our TBHG teams can continue to develop their services to better understand, and cater to the needs of young people. Over the coming months the Committee will be working to bring you helpful insights and perspectives from young people within our communities, focusing on topics such as mental health, LGBTQIA+ awareness, and homelessness through a series of interviews, think pieces, and podcasts. Stay tuned for more coming soon, but in the meantime find out a little more about our Committee members.

Monu Chamlagai

Three words that describe me:

1. Passionate
2. Caring
3. Curious

A fact not many people know about me is….

I was raised in a Bhutanese refugee camp in Nepal until the age of 11.

What made me want to join the YAC

I’m already a passionate volunteer at the Salisbury Youth Council which is similar to the Youth Advisory Committee. I wanted to explore my passion further to advocate for young people and help share their experience from a broader perspective. I also thought this would be a fantastic opportunity for self-growth.

What do I think are the biggest challenges facing young people day?

• Bullying and harassment
• Mental health and wellbeing, managing stress
• Unemployment (especially after COVID-19)
• Body image and the impact of social media

Where I see myself in 10 years’ time

In ten years’ time I hope to be a psychologist (I’m currently a psychology student), travelling the world, and buying my own home!

What “making a difference” means to me

Making a difference can be as simple as making someone smile while I am working in Subway, (especially if they are having a bad day), and as big as influencing complex changes in legislation and policies. Any positive impact I can make in someone else’s life, and in the community, is what making a difference means to me.

MATTHEW BLANCH

On the weekend you’ll find me…

Playing video games or sport with my friends, reading a book or spending time with my family (or locked away doing uni work).

A fact not many people know about me is…

I started collected crystals and fossils when I was little because I liked palaeontology and thought rocks and gems were super cool. Now that I’m “grown-up” I still like to collect cool rocks from the places I get to travel to, and even have pieces like a sliver of opal I bought with my grandma from her hometown, and a fern fossil from Brunei, in my collection.

What do I hope to achieve through my work with the YAC?

I want to make a difference by helping young people access healthcare. I know too many people my age who need help but can’t, or don’t get it. I want to ensure that my peers feel comfortable seeking help and that they feel heard when they are speaking with healthcare professionals.

Where I see myself in 10 years’ time

I’ve been at uni for almost 2 years now, and have changed courses a couple of times, but I’m still not sure if I’m in the right fit for me. I’m not even sure what the world will look like in 10 years! In saying that, I think I want to keep my appreciation for things that are silly and quirky, continue with some of my hobbies that I enjoy, and hopefully be able to continue to learn about the people and the world around me. I also would love to have a dog, finally. I suspect I’ll be in a very different occupation, just because a long-term job seems like a hard-to-reach daydream, but I hope that wherever I’m working is somewhere that still actively tries to improve peoples lives. That seems like the best sort of job to me.

What makes me happy

Learning new things always excites me, as does meeting new people. An intense game of basketball, reading a book that I just can’t put down, and working towards some goal or purpose makes me happy.

What does “making a difference” mean to me?

If young people can access help in a way that is better tailored to their needs, I think we can make a real difference and create better outcomes for everyone!

SOPHIE PAXINOS

3 words that describe me ….

• Caring
• Committed
• Patient

On the weekend you’ll find me….

• Walking my dog at the beach
• Baking
• Watching or playing sport

A fact not many people know about me is…

Before starting with the YAC, I was employed as a giant tennis ball!

Some of the biggest challenges facing young people today are:

• Mental health
• Social media use and misuse
• Employment and job security

What do I hope to achieve through my work with the YAC?

• To listen to and develop my understanding of different perspectives from young people across Australia and the UK.
• Supporting the excellent work of TBHG staff and clinicians internally and in the community.
• Helping young people to feel empowered when accessing support services.

What makes me happy

• Seeing other people happy, making someone laugh
• Watching my dog do strange, yet entertaining things
• Spending time with friends and family