The headspace Queanbeyan staff include (from left) centre manager Renee Cooper, Marathon Health’s Zora Todoroska and Michelle Russell, headspace group manager Jenny Duggan and general manager Mark Mallia. Photo: Marathon Health.
For some of us, being young comes with more stress than a last-minute rush to finish homework on time.
It might be that we struggle making friends, are managing trauma from bushfires or just need extra support.
Over the past 10 years, headspace Queanbeyan has been there to offer referrals, counselling and other support, with its service delivered by Marathon Health. It is also funded by COORDINARE – South Eastern NSW Primary Health Network (PHN).
Marathon Health’s Zora Todoroska joined headspace Queanbeyan “before day one” and said demand had been stable since they opened their doors.
She worked as the clinical manager and centre manager after it opened for several years, before moving to workforce development.
“What we underestimate about young people is that they do worry about so many things – not just their own personal things,” she said.
“They worry about climate change and the environment, and they worry about their future and how that’s going to impact them.”
Ms Todoroska said having the headspace centre as a “one-stop shop” for regional kids and young people had been a game-changer.
“Having that branding behind it [means] young people and families know what they are able to expect,” she said.
“Young people can feel it when they walk in, [their] family and their friends can feel it … that they’re coming to a service where the staff genuinely care about every single person that walks in.
“They want to make sure that they get what they need out of the service.”
For Ms Todoroska, one of the biggest changes since the centre opened in 2015 has been the growth of telehealth.
“We had the infrastructure already set up [so they could] work remotely, which was great. We were able to leave the office on a Friday and pick up on the Monday, and everyone was working from home.”
Its use picked up during the COVID-19 pandemic as more Queanbeyan-Palerang youth sought support, though Ms Todoroska said headspace staff had found it a helpful way to engage more people from across the region.
“There’s also a group of people [after the pandemic] that telehealth works really well for, because coming into the centre was something they wouldn’t be able to do,” she said.
“headspace is open to anyone … we do service some ACT clients as well, and our NSW [residents]. We support whoever comes through the door.”
COORDINARE’s director of wellbeing and priority populations Melissa Neal said it was important young people felt comfortable seeking help.
“We certainly see things like financial pressures, online safety and social justice issues really being some of the issues and factors that impact young people,” she said.
“We have seen that in the Queanbeyan and surrounding region there is an ongoing need – and growing need – for both early intervention and an environment that is non-judgmental and really suited to the needs of young people.”
headspace Queanbeyan is at 2/98 Monaro Street. It is open from 9 am to 5:30 pm Monday and Wednesday, 8:30 am to 6 pm Tuesday and Thursday, and 8:30 am to 3:30 pm on Fridays.
If this story has raised any issues for you, you can call headspace Queanbeyan on (02) 5131 1500, or Lifeline’s 24-hour crisis support line on 13 11 14.
