Bairnsdale

Meet the headspace Bairnsdale Team. Our team has a range of professionals who are all experienced in working with young people. On staff we have a community engagement officer, social workers, psychologists, a mental health nurse and administration workers.

Centre Manager                                 Cate

Client Servicer Officer                          Cathy   

Client Service Coordinator                   Caroline  

Clinical Lead                                         Jane                

Youth Access Worker                           Jacinta             

Youth Access Worker                           Hayley             

Youth Access Worker                           Jake                

Community Engagement Officer         Kirsten             

To contact a staff member, please email us and let us know who you’d like to get in contact with.

We also have a number of staff members from Consortium partner agencies, who work from our centre. These Consortium partners work closely with us to ensure that we provide the best possible services to young people.

These workers include:

·         a child and adolescent psychiatrist

·         counsellors

·         drug and alcohol workers

·         employment consultants

·         mental health group workers

·         case managers.

Our consortium partners

Relationships Australia Victoria (lead agency)
Latrobe Regional Health
within Australia
Australian Community Support Organisation
Latrobe Community Health Service
Gippsland Lakes Community Health
MIND Australia
Gippsland & East Gippsland Aboriginal Co-Operative
Advanced Personnel Management

Mental Health Services

Mental health workers – which may include psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors and other case workers – that can help if you're just not feeling yourself.

Alcohol and Drug Support Services

Workers either on site or linked to the centre who can assist you with any alcohol or other drug issue. 

Work and Study Services

Workers either on site or linked to the centre who can assist you with work or study opportunities. 

Youth Advisory Group

A group of young people who help with events and some decision making at a centre. Ask your centre about getting involved.

Groups

Centres have a range of programs and activities for young people. Just ask your centre what they have on. 

Bulk Billing GP (coming soon….)

We are working hard to recruit GP who specialise in young people’s health.

Youth Housing Support

Workers either on site or linked to the centre who can assist you with any housing issues. 

Centrelink Appointments

Centrelink visits our centre once a week. Speak to us about making an appointment.

Groups and activities

We have a range of groups and activities that young people can get involved in. Check out our groups listed below, and keep checking this website and our Facebook page for updates.

Visitors to headspace Bairnsdale have free Wi-Fi access, iPads, icy poles and cereal and a chill-out area where young people can sit down and take some time out.

There’s a lot happening for National Youth Week in April 2017. Visit the National Youth Week website and our Facebook page  for more information.

If you are in danger and need urgent help, call “000”, or for 24/7 support call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

You don’t need a formal referral to come to headspace. If you want to refer yourself, call (03) 5141 6200 or drop in and see us at 171 Main Street, Bairnsdale.  

 REFERRAL FORM

Families, carers or friends can refer a young person to headspace Bairnsdale. The young person needs to be aware of the referral, agree to it and be willing to meet with a headspace Bairnsdale Youth Access Worker. To make a referral on behalf of a young person, please call (03) 5141 6200 and will contact the young person to make an appointment.

Young people can be referred to headspace Bairnsdale by schools or health and community workers. Referrals must be made in writing on the headspace Bairnsdale referral form and emailed to us here. Referrals should include as much information as possible and be undertaken with the consent of the young person. 

Referrals from General Practitioners (GPs) should include a mental health care plan for the young person that is submitted with the GP referral form. The referral form and mental health care plan should be sent through to us through email.

Referrals must be undertaken with the consent of the young person and should include as much information as possible.

Youth Advisory Group

Are you aged between 12 and 25? Are you passionate about having your say about youth mental health and wellbeing? Join the headspace Bairnsdale Youth Advisory Group (YAG) and start making a difference in your local community. The YAG is a group of young people who meet regularly to talk about youth mental health and wellbeing and come up with new and innovative ways to raise the profile of the services headspace Bairnsdale offers.

There are a range of roles you can play in the headspace Bairnsdale YAG, including: 

• Creating, developing and leading a project in your local area. For example, youth festivals, school events, music gigs, cinema screenings
• Peer support and mentoring. Take an active role in supporting young people to seek help early and break down the stigma in relation to youth mental health.
• Consulting around resource development such as factsheets, brochures and promotional materials
• Share one of the positions of the YAG, including chairperson, deputy chairperson, minute taker or time keeper
• Research and evaluation of headspace service. Find out whether our services are meeting the desired goals and objectives and come up with ideas on how we can improve our services

By getting involved you'll have the chance to:

• meet a range of new people
• provide feedback on how to improve mental health services
• develop new skills
• participate in various training opportunities
• organise and deliver events for young people in the community
• be a voice for young people in relation to health and wellbeing

For more information, contact Kirsten on (03) 5141 6200 or email us.

To apply, fill out the expression of interest form and send it to us here.

Same Sex Attracted and Sex and Gender Diverse (SSASGD) Support Group

Are you aged between 12 and 25 and identify as same sex attracted, sex or gender diverse or other? Do you know someone who identifies as SSASGD or you want to be part of taking action to raise awareness of the issues currently facing SSASGD people? Do you want to part of a group that shows social support to one another and challenges issues of homophobia and transphobia within the community? Are you interested in participating in regular meetings and activities to share your experiences with like-minded people?

The SSASGD Support Group will meet on a regular basis for young people to show each other social support, to be involved in the development of new and innovative approaches to address and support the mental health of SSASGD young people, and raising awareness of the issues facing SSASGD young people in East Gippsland.

The initiative is funded by the Victorian Government through the Healthy Equal Youth (HEY) Project. Partners of this group are Gippsland Lakes Community Health, the East Gippsland Shire Council and headspace Bairnsdale. If you are interested in joining, please contact headspace Bairnsdale on (03) 5141 6200 or by email.

Follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with meetings dates and times. Alternatively, visit the website to stay updated.