Mental health service Headspace encourages youth input before official open date

Having locked in a central location on the main street of Katherine in early August, the organisation is now engaging young people to get involved in the interior design. 

“As part of establishing Headspace Katherine, young people will be involved in design and strategy to ensure [the] service meet their needs,” Anglicare NT CEO Dave Pugh said. 

“Young people will have an exciting opportunity to engage with us regarding the interior design of the center.”

After a drawn out search, Headspace finally settled on the location within the Randazzo Centre, across from the Woolworths Complex. 

Earlier this year, Anglicare NT was selected to establish and manage Headspace in Katherine, providing tailored support to young people aged 12 to 25, along with their family and friends.

More reading: Headspace youth service location locked in

The Headspace model is based on early intervention with the knowledge that adolescence and early adulthood is a critical time in a person's life, with research showing that 75 per cent of mental health disorders emerge before the age of 25.

“The Headspace Katherine service will give young people in the local community a place where they can get the support they need to get back on their feet and fulfill their potential,” Anglicare NT executive manager of mental health, Jade Gooding said. 

Consultations with the local community are already helping shape the Katherine service.

“Anglicare NT have been actively collaborating with local stakeholders, including Aboriginal primary health care services, with a focus on ensuring services are culturally connected and effective for young Aboriginal people,” Ms Gooding said.

Katherine has been identified as an area of high need, with high rates of reported psychological distress among young people and significantly higher youth suicide rates across the Northern Territory.

Headspace, an Australia wide franchise, has a range of stipulations for the location and look of the centre: it must be recognisable, easily accessible for youths, in the main part of town and the building must be green.

The Federal Government will invest more than $1.3 million to establish this new service in Katherine.

While the new youth mental health service facility is a product of eight long years of advocating and lobbying, an official opening date is yet to be set. 

Young people can get involved in the design process on: 

The consultation sessions will be at YORET Youth Space, Eastside Shops Grevillea Drive, Katherine East. 

For more information about the consultation sessions for young people contact Zoe Collins by email zcollins@anglicare-nt.org.au or by calling 8963 6100.

While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox each Friday at 6am from the Katherine Times. To make sure you're up to date with all the news, sign up here.