headspace

Improving the mental health and wellbeing outcomes of school communities is a big part of our work at headspace. When it comes to issues like bullying, we advocate for solutions that centre around the needs and experiences of young people.   Swipe to read our perspective on bullying and mental health in schools ➡ .  Read our recent submission on bullying and mental health to the Tasmanian Parliament: https://bit.ly/4hvgKLC

This month, end-of-year exams begin for many young people across the country.  We caught up with headspace National Manager of Clinical Advice and Governance, Caroline Thain, about exam stress in young people and how educators, family members and others who support young people can make a positive difference.

As a leader in youth mental health, it’s vital that we continually evaluate our services to ensure they’re effective and appropriate for young people. This means listening to young people’s feedback and using what they tell us to inform and improve their care.      We recently explored the session experiences of over 16,000 young people who accessed support at a headspace centre to gain valuable insights and feedback on our services.    Swipe to read what we found ➡   To read more, visit https://bit.ly/3XZpa6j 

Day of Fun is today! It’s not too late to book or walk in to your local Funlab Pty Ltd venues for fun and affordable activities like bowling, mini golf, laser tag and more - perfect for a lunchtime or after-work activity with colleagues! Head to Strike Bowling Bar, Holey Moley Golf Club, Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, B. Lucky & Sons, Hijinx Hotel, La Di Darts, Juke's Karaoke Bar or Red Herring Escape Rooms Strike Bowling, Holey Moley Golf Club, Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, B. Lucky & Sons, Hijinx Hotel, La Di Darts, Juke's Karaoke or Red Herring Escape Rooms for activities starting at $8. - All proceeds go towards supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people across Australia. Book a spot here: https://bit.ly/3XF8bVl

October is Mental Health Awareness Month, a crucial time to highlight the importance of mental health and wellbeing and encourage meaningful conversations around it. This month, our focus is on the theme: Pause, Reflect, Reconnect.    We’re reminding young people and all the people who support them, to take a moment to pause and reconnect with what brings them joy and balance—whether that’s loved ones, nature, hobbies, or work. Finding time to reconnect can help positively impact mental health and wellbeing and build resilience.    Join the conversation by sharing your own tips to your team or community. Check out our #headspacetips and resources for inspiration: https://bit.ly/3Y0zoCf  

Most of us remember how uncertain and stressful it was starting out on a career path.  That’s why we believe it’s so important for young people to have access to free and accessible support services as they navigate vocational pathways, explore work and study opportunities, make career choices and move into the workforce.  This is what headspace Work & Study Online was set up to do – and 80% of young people said helped them feel confident in achieving their work or study goals. Read about young people’s experiences with the service: https://bit.ly/4gHHWWO

The Grow Your Mental Health Project, made possible by the generous support of Yates, is a therapeutic gardening initiative for local headspace communities.  As the project reaches its one-year milestone, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what we’ve achieved so far: 🌱 We conducted a literature review that found gardening can be beneficial for mental health, even in small doses. 🌱 headspace centres now have resources to support the introduction of gardening into a young person’s therapeutic care. 🌱 Yates’ Greening Up grants, provided to six headspace centres across the country, has enabled young people to engage with gardening to express themselves creatively, connect with others and ultimately support their mental health. Check out photos of headspace Karratha’s outdoor gardening space, Garden in the Green, which was recently awarded Best Business/Not-For Profit Garden at the City of Karratha’s annual garden competition! Want to support the work we do? Learn how your organisation can partner with headspace: https://bit.ly/3Y9m0vE  

📢 New survey findings released Our first ever headspace National Family Mental Health Survey has found eight in ten family members are concerned about their young person’s mental health. The research, released on headspace day, also shows family members are acting on their concerns for their young people, with almost half (45%) of those surveyed discussing mental health and wellbeing with their young person at least weekly. However, the more concerned families are, the less likely they are to have conversations about mental health with their young people – 28% of concerned family members said conversations about mental health are difficult, compared to just 11% of those who didn’t report concern. headspace CEO Jason Trethowan says the survey highlights the challenge facing families, who are doing their best to respond to young people’s mental health needs. “Many young people are having a tough time, and it is very normal for their loved ones to be concerned for them. “At headspace, we want to put a spotlight on the services that help family members to feel more confident when supporting their young person’s mental health journey.” Young people and their families can access free online and phone support through eheadspace at https://bit.ly/4gWW92i      Read the findings at https://bit.ly/3U1oKdg  

Today we had the honour of hosting a headspace day event at Parliament House, where we recognised the vital role families play in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people.  headspace CEO Jason Trethowan and headspace First Nations Youth Advisory Committee member Winona Gray-Levett hosted the occasion, which included moving speeches from National Family Reference Group member Kim Edgar and National Youth Reference Group Member Victoria Marchiori. These headspace representatives recognised that families are often the first to notice when something is not right with their young person, as well as the first people they turn to for help. They acknowledged that to enable the young people of Australia to be mentally healthy and engaged in their communities, we must also support the supporters. Thank you to Hon Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Aged Care, Hon Emma McBride, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, and Senator Anne Ruston, Shadow Minister for Health, for joining us and sharing the work that they’re doing to help improve the mental health and wellbeing of young Australians. We’d also like to thank all of the Senators and Members of Parliament that were able to join us today. Learn more about headspace day and how you can get involved: https://bit.ly/4dHmgHV

Today we’re celebrating headspace day, a national day supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people! Being a young person today means juggling a lot - whether it's figuring out who you are, what you care about and what your future looks like. It's exciting but it can also get pretty overwhelming at times. That’s why this year we’re encouraging young people and everyone who supports them to pause and reflect, so you can find the space and energy to reconnect with what helps you feel your best. For #headspacetips and to discover resources you can use at your workplace visit: https://bit.ly/47IQtER