Sit back and relax: Holly McLeish, Lucas M, Molli Johns and Kelsie Denahy.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Headspace Echuca celebrated a year since opening its doors to the community on Wednesday, April 19.
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The youth-based organisation offers “wraparound” support for people between the ages of 12 and 25.
Young people are encouraged to get in touch if they need physical or mental health support, drug and alcohol assistance or work and study support.
Fun in the sun: Jayden Howe and Cynthia Opie.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
It took around two years to get everything in place and built in order to open the organisation in Echuca.
Bouquet: Kelsie Denahy and Meaghan Sully.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Manager Meaghan Sully said mental health support had been identified as “quite a big need” in Echuca and that it was the joint advocacy of nearby mental health services, schools and community groups that helped secure the centre.
Birthday cake: Jason Trethowan, Lucas M, Cynthia Opie, Meaghan Sully and Matt Jones.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
There is currently no wait list locally for people needing support and most can expect to receive a call within a week of filling out the initial forms.
“If the young person’s appropriate for a single session, we’ll do that within a few days,” Ms Sully said.
“Often that’s all people want — a one-off quick chat, get some strategies, identify their strengths, move on.”
Gathering: Attendees at Headspace Echuca’s first birthday celebrations.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Community engagement officer Jayden Howe said over the year he had been working to “develop trust and respect” within the area, and showing young people that there was a safe place to come if they needed assistance.
For Mr Howe this has meant visiting schools and youth clubs to talk about the wellbeing support on offer.
Make a wish: Milli Johns, Kelsie Denahy, Lucas M and Holly McLeish.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
“Once you get out there and people see what you can do and what you can offer their young people, the (community) support has been amazing,” he said.
Over the past year, around 400 young people sought help, with feeling depressed or anxious highest on the list of reasons.
A big part of making sure the services were built to best suit young people was the creation of a youth reference group. This body is made is made up of locals aged between 16 and 24, who helped co-design the centre and have been involved in attending community events to talk to other young people about the support available to them.
Speech: Headspace chief executive Jason Trethowan.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Headspace chief executive Jason Trethowan said it was “so special and important” to have a service such as this for young people in the region. He added that mental health was a growing concern across the country.
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