We were fortunate to have three speakers presenting on headspace - all for the price of one! And judging by the large number of questions, they proved to be very interesting and informative.
headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds, along with assistance in promoting young peoples’ well-being. This covers four core areas: mental health, physical health, work and study support and alcohol and other drug services. There are 101 offices around Australia. The operation is funded by the Federal Government. Kim, Nicky and David work at the Werribee branch of headspace.
Kim works full-time at Werribee as a counsellor and she loves her job. She and her colleagues see about 1000 youths each year of which 600 are new and the remainder are repeat attendees. Each person is entitled to 10 free counselling sessions. This makes it much more accessible especially in our area where there is a high number of disadvantaged youths.
Kim works with people with a vast range of mental health difficulties. This includes school bullying, family violence, autism and intellectual disability. The branch also offers drug and alcohol support, GP services and employment advice. They also have group sessions and a family support program. The staff consist of professional counsellors and volunteers. Kim said that, at the end of the day after hearing many stories of despair, she still leaves the office with a sense of hope that the headspace program is making a positive difference.
Nicky and David are both volunteers and have a similar happy and positive disposition as Kim. Both have had their own mental health experiences but, with the help of headspace, they now offer their personal advice. They have been able to build a sense of self and a sense of purpose in their life and can use this to help others.