Ari Travis is a mental health peer worker at Logan Hospital where he supports youth to find hope in their lives.
Peer Worker Ari Travis is helping shape a more inclusive and culturally responsive future for mental health care at Logan Hospital.
The 18-year-old proud Māori man recently joined the Social Inclusion and Recovery Team, bringing both cultural understanding and lived experience to his role.
Having previously been admitted to adolescent mental health wards at Logan and the Gold Coast, Ari said he understood firsthand the challenges many young people faced when accessing mental health care.
He also spent several years living rough on the streets of Logan, where he built strong connections with community organisations and people experiencing homelessness.
Ari said he saw an opportunity to be part of the system and support changes from the inside.
“By using my own experiences to support others, I hope I can help break down barriers, strengthen trust and create a more compassionate mental health system for some of the community’s most vulnerable people,” Ari said.
As the youngest member of the Social Inclusion and Recovery Team, Ari has already made a remarkable impact on colleagues, consumers and clinicians.
Team Leader Ryan Jackson said his contribution in only a matter of weeks had been invaluable and highlighted a resource Ari created as one of many standout achievements.
“Ari has developed a Māori recovery book designed to support people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds on their recovery journey,” Ryan said.
The resource was recognised for its high quality and innovation, with the team now seeking formal endorsement of the book in the hopes it can be rolled out across Metro South Health facilities.
“We are delighted that Ari has chosen to work with the Social Inclusion and Recovery Team in Metro South and we see this young man forging a long and prosperous carer within our Health Service,” Ryan said.