headspace Queanbeyan celebrates 10-year milestone supporting local young people

headspace Queanbeyan celebrates 10-year milestone supporting local young people

headspace Queanbeyan (QBN) is celebrating its 10-year milestone since opening its services to young people, their families, carers and friends across the region.

Renee Cooper, headspace QBN Centre Manager, said headspace supports young people by strengthening their ability to manage their wellbeing during the formative years of adolescence and early adulthood.

Services include low intensity psychological services provided by Youth Care Coordinators; psychological services provided by mental health professionals; sexual health services; drug and alcohol services; and study and work supports.

“Since we opened in 2015, headspace QBN has supported more than 3,800 young people and their families access the supports they need,” said Ms Cooper.

“We have been able to provide these much needed services through a hardworking team, a supportive community and our dedicated funding partner,” she said.

headspace QBN, which is delivered by Marathon Health with funding from the South Eastern NSW Primary Health Network (Coordinare), has completed 26,970 occasions of service over the past decade.

“We know that mental health is one of the top health conditions for young people aged 15–24. Therefore, headspace QNB plays an important role in supporting young people access the services they need, when they need them,” said Megan Lee, Commissioning Coordinator, Coordinare.

Many young people joined in a celebration at headspace QBN, along with community organisations.

Ms Cooper said headspace is part of a community-wide effort to support our youth, with input and support from Coordinare; the Southern NSW Local Health District; the Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Council; service providers – the Killard Centre, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, One Door Mental Health – the schools and school psychologists; Rotary and local businesses that donate to fundraising efforts.

“Everyone who works in and with headspace are passionate about their purpose and role in helping young people, and we’re thrilled that this passion is also reflected in our client satisfaction rate, which has not dropped below 4 out of 5 since we opened our doors,” said Ms Cooper.

Ms Cooper said another successful milestone is high staff retention.

“We are especially proud of four staff members – Zora Todoroska, Michelle Russell, Sean Dicks and Tim Thornell – who are the stalwarts of headspace QNB having worked in the team from day one,” she said.

More information is available on the headspace Queanbeyan website and Facebook.