Canberra mentor found purpose helping others after her own mental health crisis
Ananya Banerjee faced a 2.5-month counselling wait and cultural barriers. Volunteering became her breakthrough, earning a 2025 VolunteeringACT award.
Ananya Banerjee moved to Canberra from India in 2022 as a university student and felt herself shrinking. When she booked counselling, the wait was about two and a half months.
The therapist didn't understand her family's culture, so she spent half each session explaining her background. Banerjee started volunteering at Fearless Women as a mentor.
One day her mentee said: 'I want to share something I haven't even told my mum.' That moment changed everything.
Banerjee realised she had reasons to keep going and purpose bigger than herself. The work earned her a 2025 VolunteeringACT award recognising the hundreds of hours she put into helping others.
Research shows 48.6 per cent of culturally diverse young people in the ACT struggle to access psychologists. Advocates say mandating culturally responsive training in mental health services could help.
- 2.5 months
- Counselling wait time
- 48.6%
- Diverse young people unable to access
- 2025 VolunteeringACT
- Award
Why it mattersYoung people from diverse backgrounds face real barriers to mental health support. Her story shows how community and peer help can work when official channels fail.
AustraliaIn Canberra and across Australia, culturally diverse young people wait months for psychology services or face therapists unfamiliar with their background. Better culturally responsive training could change that.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
Open this story in InSnip →
