Moree’s youth will have the opportunity to share what’s important to them at a headspace consultation to be held next month.
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In June last year the Federal Government and the Hunter New England Primary Health Network announced additional funding that would facilitate headspace Tamworth expanding to four outreach sites – Moree, Narrabri, Gunnedah and Armidale.
Headspace will be visiting Moree in early April to talk to young people aged between 12 and 25 years about what they feel is important for the proposed headspace outreach site here.
The youth consultation sounds formal, but won’t be.
To be held at the Moree Skate Park, it is hoped to be an afternoon of fun activities, and provide the headspace and Centacare staff the opportunity to catch up with Moree’s youth.
“We are bringing giant Jenga, music and pizza,” headspace Tamworth’s youth and community engagement officer Avril Oakley-Hollow said.
“And we’ll also have bracelet making, and a skate board deck for young people to write what they think headspace coming will mean to them.”
Ms Oakley-Hollow said headspace hopes that the event will attract young people to join the New England North West Youth Reference Group (YRG).
“The Youth Reference Group gives young people the opportunity to participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of services within headspace,” she said.
Currently, the YRG is composed of Tamworth-based youths, but with the expanded services, representatives aged 15 to 25 from the additional four towns will be required.
The headspace model is based on an easy-to-use, enhanced primary care service that works in an integrated way to meet the needs of young people who have developed a disruption of their physical, emotional and or social well-being.
Headspace Tamworth has had a positive impact on the wellbeing of young people in and around Tamworth since the centre opened its doors in February 2013.
Providing early intervention services for young people aged 12 to 25 who are experiencing mild to moderate symptoms that are impacting on the quality of their lives, the staff at the centre held 4,011 sessions with young people during the 2017 financial year, and just under 12,000 sessions in the three years ending June 30, 2017.
While plans for the outreach sites have not yet been finalised, the headspace services will be co-located within Centacare NENW sites in each location.
“We are excited to be able to expand our youth services, and particularly headspace into other towns,” Centacare NENW CEO Fergus Fitzsimons said.
“The communities in these towns have been calling out for more services for young people, and we are glad that these voices have been heard.”
“Headspace is about young people and for young people, so we want to hear what young people have to say about these new outreach services,” Azaan Vhora, headspace Tamworth Centre Manager added.
The youth consultations will be held for young people, from 12 to 25 years of age, at Moree’s Skate Park from 4pm on Thursday, April 5.
