Austinn Lane, Yorke Peninsula Country Times

Central Yorke School, Maitland, year 11 student Rhys Heinrich recently returned from Switzerland, where he represented Australia as part of the Movember Youth Action Council (Mo-YAC).

Rhys was selected at short notice to attend a four-day conference at the World Health Organization headquarters.

The trip included an introduction to the work of the WHO and the World Federation of United Nations Associations.

“It was very short notice,” Rhys said.

“I wrote the presentation on the way home from the YP Field Days and recorded my video that night because the deadline was the next day.

“I heard back from them in a week, saying I was selected to attend in Geneva, and we were on the flight a month later.”

Rhys said three countries were involved in Mo-YAC – Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom – and he was one of nine people who applied across all three.

“For me, I am quite passionate about men’s mental health and the work Movember does is amazing and impactful,” he said.

“I feel it is important to voice the issue of men’s mental health on Yorke Peninsula and in South Australia and this opportunity has helped do that.

“It was amazing to be at the WHO headquarters, and in the executive board room, it was really a theatrical experience.

“The eradication of smallpox and the Covid-19 response meetings were held in that room so it was quite amazing to be there.”

Rhys said he was inspired after hearing South Australia’s Commissioner of Police, Grant Stevens, speak at a Breakthrough mental health fundraiser held at Watsacowie in 2024.

“Hearing his story and how he managed after the death of his son was really inspiring.

“There is always a sense to be stoic and suppress feelings, and the goal is to challenge those traditional norms.”

This article appeared in Yorke Peninsula Country Times, 18 November 2025.