Celebrating 10 Years of headspace Albury Wodonga: A Decade of Impact

Celebrating 10 Years of headspace Albury Wodonga: A Decade of Impact.

This year, headspace Albury Wodonga proudly celebrates 10 years of supporting young people and their families in our community. From our beginnings as a grassroots campaign—Albury Wodonga Needs a headspace—to becoming a trusted and essential service, our journey has been one of resilience, growth, and unwavering commitment to youth mental health.

headspace Albury Wodonga was founded in response to the passionate advocacy of our local community. Young people, families, and organisations came together to demand better mental health support, leading to the opening of our centre in 2014. Since then, we have welcomed over 4,600 young people through our doors, providing them with free, confidential, and youth-friendly support.

Over the past decade, our team has faced significant challenges—including funding cuts, devastating bushfires, and a global pandemic. Despite these obstacles, we have continued to adapt and innovate to ensure young people receive the help they need.

In 2020, we expanded our impact with the launch of headspace Wangaratta, a satellite service providing additional support to regional youth. Our commitment to outreach and early intervention has also grown, connecting with over ten-thousand community members at community awareness programs and events - helping to reduce stigma and encourage early help-seeking.

A Night of Celebration & Reflection

Our 10th anniversary celebration was a night to reflect on the impact of our service, acknowledge the dedication of our team, and honour the incredible support of our consortium partners, community organisations, and volunteers—especially our Youth Reference Group, whose voices have shaped our service.

The event also highlighted the growing needs of our community. As demand for youth mental health support increases, so too does the need for greater investment in services.

Leah Tylee, headspace Albury Wodonga’s Centre Manager, spoke about the grassroots movement that made headspace a reality:

"We are here to celebrate 10 years of service to our community. We are here to reflect on the grassroots campaign that saw our community rise up and demand more for the lives of our young people, and to lead the way to a future where there is no shame or stigma in asking for the help that we all sometimes need."

Leah shared the deep impact of headspace over the past decade, highlighting the dedication of the team:

"Over ten years our team has supported thousands of young people with tens of thousands of interventions. Our clinicians have been the champions, the confidants, the teachers and the mediators of so many young people in this area. They have stood by young people on their darkest days and cheered them on weeks, months, and sometimes years later when they achieve their goals—whether that is finishing school or a course, abstaining from alcohol or drug use for a whole week, having a hard conversation with their family, or eating a meal when they felt hungry. This work is inspiring, because young people are inspiring."

Trent Dean, CEO of Gateway Health, our Lead Agency reflected on the power of community advocacy in establishing headspace Albury Wodonga:

"It is an absolute honour to stand before you today as we celebrate 10 years of headspace Albury Wodonga. This milestone is not just a reflection of a service that has been delivered, but a testament to the strength, passion, and determination of a community that came together to create something truly special."

Trent shared how local services, community advocates, and young people rallied together to push for a dedicated youth mental health service. Their efforts culminated in a powerful campaign, with thousands of messages of support carried to Canberra. In 2014, headspace Albury Wodonga was established, and in 2015, the centre officially opened with an initial team of just four staff.

Since then, we have provided more than 23,000 support sessions to over 4,600 young people.

Among those young people is Asha, a former Youth Reference Group member, who shared the personal impact of headspace on her life:

"Before joining the YRG, I was receiving support at headspace from my amazing clinician. I felt safe and supported whenever I came in for my appointments. headspace helped me overcome my mental health challenges—I was finally feeling okay, and then, unfortunately, my dad passed away", Asha shared.

"I would never have gotten through that without support from headspace; it was my rock and one of my only outlets for my emotions. When I finished my appointments, my clinician wrote me a letter. Whenever I doubt myself or just feel lost or sad, I read it. When I do, I am reminded that I will get through this and that I am never alone."

While we celebrate the past decade, we know there is more work to do. The need for another headspace centre in Albury and expanded outreach services for regional and rural communities has never been more urgent. Every young person deserves access to mental health support—no matter where they live.

We are calling on our community, government, and supporters to advocate for more funding and resources so we can continue providing the best possible care to our young people.

To everyone who has been part of this journey—our staff, young people, families, community partners, and advocates—thank you.

Your support has made headspace Albury Wodonga what it is today. Together, we can continue to build a healthier, stronger future for young people in our region.