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find your place at headspace
headspace would like to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s First People and Traditional Custodians. We value their cultures, identities and continuing connection to country, waters, kin and community. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and are committed to making a positive contribution to the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, by providing services that are welcoming, safe, culturally appropriate and inclusive.
About the headspace graduate program
The headspace Graduate program employs allied health graduates for two years, who complete two twelve-month secondments at headspace services. Graduates are provided with discipline-specific clinical supervision and 40 days equivalent of professional education over the two years. Currently we support psychology, occupational therapy, and social work graduates as a part of the program.
Furthermore, graduates have exclusive access to:
- Extensive experience working within the internationally-renowned headspace model for youth mental health
- Training and supervision to support professional development
- Diversity of experience through two 12-month placements with at least one in a regional, rural or remote setting
- Exciting opportunities to live and work across the country (see FAQs below for locations)
- Long-term career opportunities in youth mental health
As part the program, we support First Nations allied health graduates to engage in a First Nations graduate. First Nations Graduates are supported by the First Nations Wellbeing & Healing Division who provide graduates with support and cultural supervision. See the FAQ below for more information about the First Nations graduate roles.
After two graduate intakes in 2022 and 2023, we know that the graduate program is delivering positive outcomes for both early career clinicians and the broader community. You can read more about the program’s impact in our Interim Evaluation Report.
headspace’s vision is that all young people are supported to be mentally healthy and engaged in their communities. For this vision to become a reality, we must ensure that our services are culturally safe and responsive to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, their families, and by extension, communities.
In recognition of this, we are committed to continuous improvement in the ways in which our services connect and engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.
Who we're seeking
- Recent graduates (from the last three years)
- Appropriate tertiary qualifications in Psychology, Social Work, or Occupational Therapy
- Passionate, energetic, and determined graduates looking to make a difference to health outcomes for young people
- Graduates who are open to new experiences including placements in regional, rural and remote settings to broaden their skills and perspectives.
Want to continue developing your career in youth mental health with ongoing professional training, while you work? If you’re looking for a rewarding graduate role, where you’ll hit the ground running and where your skills are put to use, from day one. Find your place at headspace.
Hear from recent graduate, Larry.
About headspace
headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds. headspace can help young people with mental health, physical health (including sexual health) alcohol and other drug services, and work and study support. Learn more
headspace is a place like no other. It’s a place where people listen and support one another, working collaboratively to help build brighter futures. If you’re looking for a graduate role where you can hit the ground running, where you’ll gain unique experience and where you’ll continue to develop your skills with professional training – you’ll find your place at headspace.
Following the Federal Budget 2023-24 we have not yet received funding for a new graduate intake in 2024, and therefore will not commence graduate recruitment in mid-2023. The graduate program is designed to contribute to the youth mental health workforce pipeline by supporting new graduates to join the program each year.
We are confident in our approach and program as a way of building a sustainable youth mental health workforce and continue to have conversations with the Federal Government and advocate for additional funding to allow us to support future graduate intakes. While this advocacy may result in a graduate intake in 2024, we cannot guarantee this.
Beyond the Graduate program, there are often roles appropriate for early career mental health clinicians available within the headspace network. You can look at our current employment opportunities through our Careers page.
If you are keen to be kept up to date about graduate program recruitment complete the expression of interest form or email us at graduates@headspace.org.au. We will keep you updated if we receive funding and open applications for a graduate program intake in 2024.
The First Nations graduates will be engaged in the headspace Graduate program and be working within a clinical team at a headspace centre. The graduates will be closely linked with the First Nations Wellbeing & Healing division at headspace National. The headspace First Nations Graduate will play a pivotal role in a headspace centre. They’ll bring their cultural knowledge and expertise as well as contribute in developing and providing:
- high quality, culturally informed intake/assessment
- ongoing mental health/social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) services to young people, families, friends, and communities.
In addition, graduates may participate in community awareness raising activities that promote early help-seeking for mental health challenges in young people. The First Nations Graduate will be supported by attending headspace Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander network (ATSN) meetings, cultural and clinical supervision (individual and group), regular staff meetings, and availability of a senior staff member at all times.
As part of a clinical team, you will play a pivotal role in a headspace centre. You will contribute to developing and providing high quality, intake/assessment and ongoing psychological services to young people, and their families/carers. Successful candidates will undertake two 12-month placements in different headspace centres giving an exciting variation to the role. It is a requirement of the position that one of those placements is in a regional, rural or remote headspace service. As this is a national program, graduates may have the opportunity to complete a rotation interstate in one of our participating headspace services. Graduates are currently placed in Victorian, Tasmanian, Western Australian and Queensland services
The headspace Graduate Program will provide graduates with a comprehensive professional development program designed to support graduates in being excellent mental health clinicians and to kick start their career in youth mental health.
This includes:
- Discipline specific clinical supervision to enable graduates to complete their discipline’s endorsement or mental health accreditation pathways, and strengthen discipline identity
- 40 days of professional training in a tailored youth mental health training program
- Access to communities of practice led by experienced clinicians
You can contact our recruitment panel at graduates@headspace.org.au
The headspace Graduates Program has placed graduates across Western Australia, Victoria, Queensland, and Tasmania with plans to expand our placement offered to other states and territories soon.
Download a full list of participating headspace centres.
To learn more about these headspace services, check out the Find a headspace centre page
The headspace Digital Mental Health Programs (DMHP) offer a wide range of online mental health resources and support services that are free and accessible to young people (12 to 25 years) and their families and friends throughout Australia. The DMHP is a big entity of headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation with over 115 staff across six programs, supporting tens of thousands of young people and families annually.
The largest and longest standing of these programs is eheadspace which provides free, confidential, and anonymous counselling services, online and by telephone seven days a week from 9-1AM (AEST). See video below to hear from eheadspace clinicians about what's it's like to work at eheadspace and download a breakdown of all the programs offered in DMHP and learn what a graduate rotation at DMHP would look like.
A number of factors contribute to the placement decision-making process, including your needs and preferences, as well as broader program requirements.
You will be asked to complete a series of questions as part of your application that provides the graduate program team insights into what will contribute to a great placement experience for you. The information from these questions will be used in a placement matching workshop and successful applicants will be informed of their first placement location when being offered a position in the program.
Graduates who are undertaking a significant relocation for a placement will receive financial support to assist them with travel, temporary accommodation and for those undertaking remote placements, a remote allowance to assist with increased cost of living.
No. The program is full-time for the 2-years
Previous experience working at headspace will be a factor we consider in our selection but we strongly encourage people from a range of backgrounds and experience to apply.
If you are currently working at a headspace centre, speak to your centre manager about them supporting your application. You’ll be able to record their support in your application.
