Youth Reference Group (YRG)

The Youth Reference Group (YRG) guides what we do here at headspace Bega, making sure we're on the right track to provide a service that is relevant to young people in the Bega Valley, Snowy Monaro & Eurobodalla Shire

Our YRG is made up of enthusiastic young people aged 16-25 years who share their opinions and have their say on what we do and how we do it.

The role of the YRG is varied and includes a range of duties, from participating in regular meetings and online communications, to helping to plan youth events, representing headspace Bega at community events and raising awareness of mental health and wellbeing in our community. Additionally, each year our YRG members attend an all expenses paid 'Youth In Front' camp with fellow YRG members across other centres.

Applications for the Youth Reference Group open in October at the end of each year, for the following year's group. If you would like to be notified when our YRG applications open, please contact:

Community Engagement and Youth Participation

headspace Bega

1800 959 844

info@headspacebega.org.au

Are you interested in fundraising for and/or making a donation to headspace Bega?

Your generous support helps us to provide vital mental health and wellbeing support, information and services to young people and their families across the Snowy Monaro, Eurobodalla & Bega Valley

Donate online:
Donate online using the secure platform of GiveNow:
https://www.givenow.com.au/headspacebega

Donate by direct deposit:
Account Name: Grand Pacific Health
Account number: 606303831
BSB: 082916
Bank: National Australia Bank

Please use a reference code of 66006 with your deposit so the funds are allocated correctly.

Donate by cheque:
Cheques can be made out to Grand Pacific Health and mailed to Attn: Finance, Grand Pacific Health, PO Box 1198, South Coast MC NSW 2521.

Please email headspace@gph.org.au to advise us of your contact details when making a donation by direct deposit or cheque, and include hsBega or 66006 as a message/reference with your donation.

Thank you for your support!

Mental Health Plans allow headspace to do more counselling sessions.

Seeing your GP is a great way to begin your mental health journey.
Doctors can provide specialised treatments and refer you to headspace
or other mental health professionals such psychologists or psychiatrists.

Having a mental health plan allows headspace to see more young
people, more often. By introducing Medicare bulk billing, headspace has
been able to welcome more mental health clinicians.

You can still see a headspace counsellor, even if you do not have a plan.
The quality and amount of counselling will be the same for both
pathways. However, if you are able to get a plan, headspace has more
options for connecting you with supports and we might be able to see
you sooner.

headspace Bega operate an outpost service in Eden. The Eden office will usually have someone present on Monday, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:00am- 5:00pm  however as we often work out in the community we are not always available in the office. You can arrange to speak to one of our Youth Care Coordinators who will provide general information about headspace services in Eden and help you connect with our intake clinician.

Or if you want to make a time to discuss your individual needs with us you can arrange to complete an intake by calling 1800 959 844 and booking an intake consultation. This consultation can occur over the phone or in person depending on your preference and availability.

Eden Office contact Details:

headspace Bega operate an outpost service in Cooma. The Cooma office is open 5 days a week from 8:30am- 4:00pm  

If you want to make a time to discuss your individual needs with us you can arrange to complete an intake by calling 1800 959 844 and booking an intake consultation. This consultation can occur over the phone or in person depending on your preference and availability.

Cooma Office contact Details:

Street Address

61 Massie St. Cooma, NSW 2630

headspace Bega operate an outpost service in Narooma from the Youth Café. headspace in Narooma offers face to face, phone or video appointments on Tuesdays, Wednesdays from 9:00am- 5:00pm  however as we often seeing people or working out in the community we are not always available in the office. You can arrange to speak to one of our team who will provide general information about headspace services in Narooma and help you connect with our intake clinician by calling our Bega hub on the numbers below to make a time.

Or if you want to make a time to discuss your individual needs with us you can arrange to complete an intake by calling 1800 959 844 and booking an intake consultation. This consultation can occur over the phone or in person depending on your preference and availability

Location: headspace in Narooma is co-located with the Youth Café

Located behind the Community Health Centre and Library on Field Street, Narooma.

Mailing Address

PO Box 513 Bega NSW 2550

Want to know more about what to expect when attending headspace Bega or one of our outpost services?

We have created welcome packs to introduce you to our service and direct you to where you can find further information and support:

headspace BEGA welcome pack

headspace BEGA family and friends welcome pack 

Sometimes people don't show up for their appointments at headspace. We understand that life can be unpredictable and things can come up. 

Here's how you can help us to help you...

headspace BEGA cancellation guide

Referral Guidelines

headspace Bega is a free, youth-friendly and confidential service for young people aged 12 – 25 years.  Lead by Grand Pacific Health, headspace Bega offers the following supports and services including: 

• Mental Health Support
• Drug and Alcohol Support
• Education and Employment Support
• Physical Health and Sexual Health

headspace Bega is a voluntary service. The young person needs to be aware of and consent to the referral and be willing to meet with a member from the headspace Bega team. As such, referral to our service cannot proceed unless consent to refer is obtained.

The headspace Bega hub also provides outpost services to Eden, Cooma and Narooma.

PLEASE NOTE:

headspace Bega is not an acute mental health/crisis service. If you have any immediate concerns regarding the safety/wellbeing of a young person, please call: Mental Health Line 1800 011 511; Lifeline on 13 11 14; or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. In an emergency, contact 000 immediately. 

HOW TO REFER:

Self-Referral

Young people are encouraged to make contact with the headspace Bega service directly. Young people in Eden, Cooma and Narooma can access our centralised intake via the Bega hub or drop in and see a Youth Care Coordinator in their town for assistance to link in with our intake worker over the phone.  

By phone/email

Young people can call 1800 959 844 within office hours or email info@headspacebega.org.au and a worker will contact the young person to complete a referral.

Drop in

Young people can call into headspace Bega between 9am and 5pm, Monday- Friday or at one of our outreach locations between 9am and 5pm Tuesday-Thursday. Staff will endeavour to see the young person the same day or will assist them with a referral and an appointment will be made as soon as possible.

Professional Referral- Service Providers

GP’s, Allied Health Professionals, community-based agencies and educational institutions can all refer young people to headspace Bega using the Service Providers Referral Form. General Practitioners should include a mental health care plan (if appropriate) for the young person and attach this to the headspace Bega referral form.

Referral-Form-Service-Providers-Final.pdf

Family Referral

Families, carers or friends can refer a young person to headspace Bega. Once receipt of referral has been confirmed, a worker will contact the young person to make an appointment. Families, parents or carers who have a young person engaged with headspace Bega can also access our centre to discuss service provision

headspace Wollongong, Nowra, Bega and Goulburn now offer telehealth sessions via a special platform called “Attend Anywhere”.

We think it gives you the experience most like your normal face-to-face sessions with a clinician. It’s encryption levels mean your conversations stay private, and it allows you to wait in a “waiting room”, under the supervision of our admin team, until your clinician is ready to see you. 

WHAT DO I NEED?
A good connection to the internet - If you can watch videos online (e.g. YouTube) you can make a video call.

• One of these:

Google Chrome web browser on a desktop or laptop, or on an Android tablet or smartphone
Safari web browser on an Apple iMac, MacBook, iPad or iPhone

• Web-camera, speakers, and microphone. These are typically already built into laptops and mobile devices.
  
  

HOW MUCH INTERNET DATA WILL I USE? You don’t use any data while waiting for a clinician to join you. An Attend Anywhere video call uses a similar amount of data to Skype^® or FaceTime^®. 

PRIVACY
You have your own private video room that only authorised clinicians can enter. Video calls are secure; your privacy is protected.

Your telehealth service will not be recorded by us. We ask you to also agree not to make recordings of our sessions and not to use materials from our sessions elsewhere. If you need further information on how to protect your privacy when using technology, see the booklet Protecting Yourself Online: what everyone needs to know

WHAT IF I HAVE QUESTIONS?
Your clinician is available to answer all your questions and answer any concerns. Together, you will work out a plan that best suits you. If you wish to speak to someone else about your experience, please call your local headspace centre and ask to speak to the centre manager.

 HOW DO I USE ATTEND ANYWHERE? 

• Go to https://www.gph.org.au/video   a little before the prearranged time for your appointment and select the headspace waiting room (red armchair logo).
• On this web page, click Start video call button and follow the instructions
• Wait in your own private video room
• Your clinician sees you arrive in the waiting area and joins you in your video room when they are ready

If you would like to know more, here’s a short video: https://youtu.be/o-64JK4nLuE 

WHAT IF MY CONNECTION DROPS OUT? 

• If you lose connection, firstly, wait 30 seconds and try to reconnect using the Refresh button. 

• If your video link drops out, or if you intentionally disconnect the videoconference, or leave the room where the videoconference hardware is set up, we will immediately contact you via your nominated contact number. If we cannot contact you, then we will activate your Contingency Plan.

WHAT IS MY CONTINGENCY PLAN?
At your first session, you and your clinician will work out a telehealth safety plan. This will be reviewed at the beginning of each session. Your plan will include nominated emergency contacts and/or local and emergency services.     

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR MY SESSION?
It can be easy to think of your Telehealth session as a less formal “catch-up” and think it doesn’t need much preparation. To get the best from your session, try to:

1. Find a quiet space. Put away your pets, find a room where you think you won’t be overheard. Try using headphones with an in-built microphones, if you can. Most mobile phones come with these.
2. Bring a notepad and pen. Your clinician won’t be able to give you a piece of paper to take home with you so you might need to jot some things down.
3. Have your phone close to you but turn it onto silent and close your email programs. It is important that your clinician can call you, if something should happen to your Telehealth connection, but it’s also important to try to minimise distractions.
4. Give yourself permission to focus. In these busy times there are lots of things calling for our attention. Give yourself permission to be fully present with your clinician for your session.
5. Your telehealth session with your clinican will not take any longer than an in-person session at our centre would, except you don’t have to spend time travelling to us.