Orygen Global updates

Community-based services delivered by lay counsellors - guidance for implementation

COMMUNITY-BASED YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES DELIVERED BY LAY COUNSELLORS – GUIDANCE FOR IMPLEMENTATION

The World Health Organization’s Mental Health of Children and Young People Service Guidance suggests that community-based youth mental health services, often delivered by lay counsellors, are crucial to filling a global service gap.

Orygen Global has been working with a range of partners in diverse contexts to better understand the critical steps in supporting the development and implementation of community-based youth mental health services engaging lay counsellors in the delivery of psychosocial brief interventions.

Following on from the report, A low-intensity, low-cost model for youth mental health: The headspace Denmark approach, Orygen Global has worked with a wide group of collaborating partners to produce a guidance document for organisations interested in developing a support service for young people that utilises lay counsellors, including peer workers or volunteers.

The document provides broad guidance that can facilitate organisational decision making around the practical elements of establishing a community-based model of support for young people and includes a practical checklist for organisations to use at the startup phase.

Community-based Youth Mental Health Services Delivered by Lay Counsellors – Guidance for Implementation was launched at the World Health Assembly Side-Event in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2026.