Supporting young minds at ROAR 2025

As part of SA Youth Week, headspace Edinburgh North and Sonder were proud to be involved in the City of Salisbury’s ROAR 2025 Youth Summit - an event that brought together young people, community leaders, and service providers to celebrate youth voices and explore the issues that matter most.

Steven Wright, Executive Manager Child, Family & Youth Services at Sonder, was invited to speak at the event, delivering a powerful  message about youth mental health, strength, and connection.

“Whether you’re in school, at uni or TAFE, working, or still trying to decide your next step, that pressure can build up. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, anxious, and sad sometimes. That doesn’t mean there’s anything ‘wrong’ with you—it just means you’re human,” Steve shared with the audience.

Steve’s message was clear: mental health challenges are common, especially among young people, but no one has to face them alone.

“About one in every four young people will experience a period of mental ill health,” he said. “The good news? You don’t have to deal with it all on your own.” 

He spoke about the important role of headspace Edinburgh North, a youth mental health service in Adelaide’s northern suburbs operated by Sonder, and highlighted how its recent partnership with the City of Salisbury to provide free mental health support for young people at the Twelve25 Youth Centre is making support more accessible than ever before. 

“Twelve25 is already a space a lot of young people know and trust. By offering headspace sessions there, we’re bringing support right into the heart of the community—into a place that feels safe and familiar,” Steve said. 

This collaboration means young people in Salisbury can now access free, confidential mental health support—right where they already hang out. No referral, no judgement, just a chance to talk to someone who’s trained to listen and help. 

“Talking about mental health and asking for help shows strength,” Steve emphasised. “Taking care of your mental health is just as important as looking after your physical health.” 

His message resonated with many in the audience, encouraging young people to reach out for support when they need it and to look out for each other. 

“If today you take just one thing from this talk,” Steve concluded, “let it be this: You matter. Your feelings matter. Help is here, and it’s okay to reach out.” 

In addition to Steve’s talk, headspace supported two break-out sessions, supporting direct conversation with the young people attending. These were hosted by our Community Engagement Officers, Youth Reference Group members and Social Work Students.

headspace Edinburgh North and Sonder are proud to be part of events like ROAR 2025 that empower young people and promote wellbeing across South Australia. Through services like headspace and community partnerships like the one with the City of Salisbury, we remain committed to creating safe spaces where young people feel heard, supported, and valued.