The outer layer of the model represents the systems that surround us.

Education, justice, health, housing, employment, child protection and countless other systems influence the opportunities, challenges and experiences people encounter throughout their lives. While many systems provide support, others can unintentionally contribute to disadvantage, exclusion, trauma and poor wellbeing.

Systems shape access to resources, opportunities and support. They influence whether people feel included, empowered and able to participate fully in society.

Creating healthier outcomes requires us to continually examine and improve the systems that shape people's lives.

The public layer represents the broader social environment.

This includes social media, cultural expectations, public discourse, stereotypes, stigma and the messages people receive about who they should be and how they should behave.

These influences shape how people see themselves, whether they seek support and whether they feel accepted, valued and understood.

Public narratives can contribute to connection and inclusion, but they can also reinforce shame, discrimination, unrealistic expectations and barriers to help-seeking.

Creating healthier outcomes requires us to build cultures that promote belonging, compassion, understanding and hope.

Community ecosystems are the broader communities in which people live and participate.

They may be towns, suburbs, regions, online communities or communities united through shared identity, culture or lived experience.

Healthy communities foster inclusion, safety, resilience and collective action. They bring people together in times of challenge and help create environments where people can flourish.

When communities are strong, people are more likely to experience belonging, connection and support. When communities become fragmented or disconnected, people can become increasingly isolated and vulnerable.

Strengthening community ecosystems helps create the conditions for wellbeing to thrive.

At the heart of the model sits one of Turn to Me's most important concepts.

While Community Ecosystems represent the broader environments we belong to, Communities of Care are the smaller environments where people regularly gather, connect and build relationships.

These communities may include sporting clubs, workplaces, schools, year levels, community groups, social groups, faith communities, teams or organisations.

They are not defined by geography.

They are defined by relationships.

A Community of Care is an environment where people intentionally create a culture of support, connection and responsibility for one another's wellbeing.

These communities become places where people feel safe to be themselves, where support is offered before it is requested and where people know they matter. They become places of connection, belonging and purpose. They become places where people can navigate life's challenges alongside others rather than alone.

At Turn to Me, we believe some of the greatest opportunities for prevention exist within these environments.

Because while not everyone will access a service, almost everyone belongs to a workplace, school, sporting club, team, family network or social group.

The question is not whether these communities influence wellbeing.

The question is whether they do so intentionally.

Relationships are where the broader social experience becomes deeply personal.

They are the connections we have with partners, family members, friends, colleagues, mentors, teammates and the people who walk alongside us throughout life.

Human beings are inherently relational. Our ability to feel connected, supported and understood has a profound influence on our wellbeing. Healthy relationships can provide love, safety, encouragement, accountability and support during life's challenges. They can help us navigate adversity, recover from difficult experiences and remind us that we do not have to face life's struggles alone.

At the same time, relationships can also become sources of pain. Conflict, isolation, rejection, family violence, grief, loss, betrayal and disconnection can all significantly impact wellbeing and contribute to emotional distress.

Strong communities are built upon strong relationships. While Communities of Care create the environment, relationships are the connections that bring those environments to life.

At Turn to Me, we believe meaningful prevention requires us to strengthen the quality of human connection. Because when people experience authentic relationships built on trust, care and mutual respect, they are far more likely to feel supported, valued and connected during difficult times.

At the centre of every social experience is the individual.

The Individual Self represents a person's relationship with themselves. It includes identity, self-worth, beliefs, emotions, resilience, healing, purpose and the stories people carry about who they are and where they belong.

While our wellbeing is influenced by systems, culture, communities and relationships, every person ultimately experiences life through their own internal world.

How we see ourselves matters.

How we interpret our experiences matters.

How we respond to challenges matters.

For many people, wellbeing involves developing greater self-awareness, emotional intelligence and self-compassion. It involves making sense of life experiences, understanding personal strengths, healing from adversity and building the capacity to navigate life's challenges in healthy ways.

The Individual Self is not separate from the other layers of the Social Experience Model. Rather, it is shaped by every layer that surrounds it. Our systems, culture, communities and relationships all influence how we come to understand ourselves.

At Turn to Me, we believe individuals possess incredible capacity for growth, healing and transformation when they are supported by strong relationships, connected communities and environments that foster belonging and wellbeing.

Because while prevention must exist across every level of society, every positive change is ultimately experienced by an individual human being.