North Queensland Toyota Cowboys Try Time! program encouraging safe conversations on adolescent mental health

A Cowboys community program is aiming to help encourage important conversations on mental health challenges faced by high schoolers.

Ray Thompson with Thuringowa State High School year 10 students and school staff

A Cowboys community program is aiming to help spark important conversations on mental health challenges faced by high schoolers.

The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys Try Time! Head in the Game program is hosted by former Cowboys player Ray Thompson, who speaks on his experiences both in life and on the playing field as a North Queensland player from 2009 to 2017.

Ray Thompson and Thuringowa State High School year 10 student Ethan Free

The program was conducted as schools in Townsville for grades 10,11 and 12 ahead of Queensland Mental Health Week, which runs from October 5 to 13.

Mr Thompson said it is extremely important to get younger people to talk about mental health and encourage them to seek help.

Sun Metals Finance and Business Planning Director Simon Sleigh, Try Time! ambassador Ray Thompson, Year 10 students and Thuringowa State High School Head of Student Services Bri Clancy

“I try and use my own experiences through my playing journey as a way to show them that everyone goes through challenges from time to time, it’s okay to admit to struggling and to seek help,” he said.

Research shows suicide is the most common cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds, but 65 per cent of teens won’t seek help for mental health concerns.

Thuringowa State High School head of student services Bri Clancy said the school had a focus on creating a safe space for students to express their feelings.

Ray Thompson presenting

“It’s important for us as a school to value students as a whole person and we know that if they’re not holistically well, then they’re not going to be at their best to learn,” she said.

“I think they feel a little special that someone’s prepared to come out and talk to them about this stuff and you hear them as they walk out and over the following days talking about it – it’s a great conversation starter.”

Year 10 student Ethan Free said Ray’s presentation encourages students to talk about their feelings more and was inspired by Mr Thompson’s story.

“It’s pretty hard to be a teenager, sometimes it can be sunshine and rainbows and other days you can be completely down – it can change in an instant,” he said.

“It was very inspirational how Ray talked about how to address the emotions when you have them and I liked how he wasn’t afraid to express how he was feeling and share what he has gone through. It feels like I can express how I’m feeling too.”

The program presentation is available to all North Queensland secondary schools. To register visit the Cowboys website.

Originally published as North Queensland Toyota Cowboys Try Time! program encouraging safe conversations on adolescent mental health