headspace

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

Day of Fun is back for 2024! For one day only, get $8 mini golf, bowling, laser tag and more. On 22 October visit any Strike Bowling Bar, Holey Moley Golf Club, Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq or Hijinx Hotel across Australia, where proceeds will be donated to headspace. It's a great time to get your colleagues or team together to help support the mental health and wellbeing of young people. To book your Day of Fun event or learn more, visit: https://bit.ly/3XF8bVl

*Applications closing soon!* Do you know any emerging artists aged 18-25, who are passionate about mental health and music? headspace is excited to be working with The LAROI Foundation, and we’re looking for four young artists from diverse backgrounds to help design merch for a project with The Kid LAROI. Together, the artists will be working on a series of designs that will be used to raise funds for art and music community projects around Australia. Applications are closing soon! Submit yours before 11:59 AEDT this Wednesday 9 October or share this with someone who might be interested! To learn more or find the application form, visit https://bit.ly/3ZLYbMy.

headspace day is just around the corner on Wednesday 9 October! This year, we’re encouraging everyone to take a moment to pause, reflect and reconnect.    Get involved in our national day of support for the mental health and wellbeing of young people by spreading the word about good mental health practices and sharing tips to help your workforce pause and reconnect.     Discover more about this year’s theme and tips for looking after your mental health and wellbeing: https://bit.ly/3XWk4aL

By the end of 2025, headspace Early Psychosis will reach an important milestone: the expansion of the program into every state and territory in Australia. 71% of young people in the Early Psychosis program improved significantly in 2022-23, and with the upcoming opening of headspace Canberra (ACT) and headspace Eastern Shore (TAS), young people will be able to access the headspace Early Psychosis program in a total of 16 locations across Australia. We’re continuing to work with government and local communities in advocating for more Early Psychosis services across Australia. To learn more about headspace Early Psychosis, our free and confidential support program for young people who or are at risk of developing psychosis, visit: https://bit.ly/3X11PPF