Key Takeaways
- Free Youth Support: headspace Chatswood offers free, comprehensive assistance for young people aged 12 to 25, covering mental, physical, and sexual health, alongside study programs.
- Breaking the Stigma: Highlighted by Men's Mental Health Awareness Month, the team actively engages the community to redefine help-seeking as a profound display of strength.
- Community Outreach: The local service regularly partners with local councils and schools, recently connecting with youth at the Marsden High School Wellbeing Expo and Willoughby City Council events.
- Accessible Location: Conveniently located directly opposite the Chatswood Interchange, young people and their mates can easily drop in or reach out confidentially to start a conversation.
Supporting young people through their mental health journey is at the core of what we do at headspace Chatswood headspace is a free mental health service for young people 12 – 25 years of age.
headspace offers a variety of different supports across different areas including mental health, drug and alcohol, physical and sexual health, and an online work, school and study program.
Although we’ve seen a reduction in the stigma surrounding mental health concerns, there is still a lot of work to do to plant those seeds and raise awareness of the different supports available to young people. “Visibility is so important and helps to facilitate the start of a conversation”, said Community Engagement Coordinator, Aaron Haydon. “Talking openly to young people regarding mental health helps to chip away at the idea that mental health concerns are restricting and gives them an understanding of the different supports that are available”.
Every year, June signals Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. This month is incredibly important as it helps to break the silence and is redefining what strength means, highlighting that asking for help is a display of strength, not a weakness. Throughout June mheadspace Chatswood attended many different community events, meeting young men where they were at and helping to facilitate the start of a conversation.
“We love teaming up with local council and service providers and attending events within the community as it gives us a direct line of contact to young people, particularly young men, who may not know much about headspace and the supports we can offer.” Aaron continued. “It allows us to engage with young people in a fun, less pressured environment which allows for more meaningful conversations. It’s also a great opportunity while chatting with young men to empower them to make positive choices surrounding their mental health. I like letting young people know that they themselves may not need support and that’s okay, but it’s great to know information about headspace so they can share with their mates who might be going through a tough time.”
During June headspace Chatswood attended the Marsden High School Careers & Wellbeing Expo, run in partnership with City of Ryde Council, a collaborative LGTBQIA+ event run by Willoughby City Council, and the Connecting Carers Services Expo run by Uniting.
Lexie Nebauer, Clinical Lead at headspace Chatswood, reminds young men that “the conversations we avoid can become the burdens we carry. Please remember that you don’t have to handle everything on your own. Speaking openly about mental health and seeking support when you’re struggling is not only an act of courage and self-awareness, but can also can create space for understanding, recovery, and hope.”
headspace Chatswood is conveniently located across from Chatswood Interchange.
To find out more information or access our services please contact 02 8021 3668 or email headspacechatswood@newhorizons.org.au.
Alternatively drop into our centre at Level 9/465 Victoria Ave, Chatswood and speak directly to our friendly staff members.
