Researcher Penelope Strauss
Youth mental health researcher Penelope Strauss has been named an AMP Tomorrow Maker – the first researcher from The Kids Research Institute Australia to win one of the annual AMP Foundation grants.
Ms Strauss is one of 43 young innovators chosen from a pool of 1901 applicants across Australia to share in this year’s $1 million Tomorrow Fund.
The fund was launched by the AMP Foundation in 2014 to support talented and inspiring individuals who are working towards a goal that will benefit the community, but need a little help to get there.
Over its five-year lifetime, the program has seen grants of between $5,000 and $100,000 go to a total of 230 recipients across Australia, including artists, athletes, inventors, social innovators, dancers, disability advocates, musicians and medical researchers.
Head of the AMP Foundation, Helen Liondos, said the grants could be used for a range of purposes to help recipients achieve their goal – whether it was a vital piece of equipment, training, or travel.
“That flexibility can foster agility and innovation,” she said.
Ms Strauss will use her $13,705 grant to support the next phase of the ground-breaking Trans Pathways project, which focused on the mental health and access to health services of trans young people.
Led by Ms Strauss and Head of the Youth Mental Health Team at The Kids, Dr Ashleigh Lin, Trans Pathways was the largest ever survey conducted into the mental health of trans young people in Australia, and the first to include the experiences of parents of trans young people.
It found young trans people are at high risk for suicide, anxiety and serious depression – revealing that four out of five trans young people have ever engaged in self-harm, and almost one in two trans young people have ever attempted suicide (48%).
In the next phase of the project, Ms Strauss will investigate what helped young trans people through their periods of depression and suicidal thoughts, with a view to developing an intervention program.
To see the full list of 2018 Tomorrow Makers – including profiles and videos – visit https://www.ampstomorrowfund.com.au/.