2025 Highlights and Heroes

As we wrap up another incredible year at headspace Knox and Lilydale, we want to take a moment to reflect on the highlights and celebrate the heroes who made it all possible. From community events and school workshops to creative showcases and advocacy, this year has been filled with connection, collaboration, and courage! Thank you to our volunteers, partners, schools, and communities for your ongoing support, together, we’ve made a real difference and we’re so grateful for you.

Throughout 2025, we strengthened partnerships and created safe, welcoming spaces for young people. Our Youth Action Force (YAF) met monthly, amplifying youth voices in everything we do.  

We worked closely with Knox Youth Services to deliver regular LGBTQIA+ groups, including the Crocs, a group for young people aged 11–16 encouraging connection and belonging. We also partnered with enliven to engage with our vibrant Sri Lankan, Chinese, and Indian communities, meeting young people, parents, and community leaders. A huge thank you to everyone involved for your hard work this year, we’re excited about our upcoming collaboration with the Indian Theatre Company early next year!

Alongside Knox Youth Services, Maroondah Youth Services, and Yarra Ranges Youth Services, we championed mental health initiatives and proudly attended community festivals, school expos, and cultural gatherings across Knox, Maroondah, and Yarra Ranges. These youth councils led incredible LGBTQIA+ celebrations throughout the year, including Hallow Queer, Poolside Pride, and Pride March, as well as ongoing programs that create safe spaces for young people to connect and express themselves. Every moment was an opportunity to share resources, celebrate diversity, and strengthen community connections.

We delivered workshops in schools and TAFEs, hosted stalls at major community events like Knox Festival and Maroondah Festival and were supported by campaigns such as the Push-Up Challenge and Week of Fun thank you to all those who got involved. Our partnerships extended to Wantirna Jetbacks Basketball Club, who went above and beyond this year by pulling together an incredible event to shine a spotlight on the importance of youth mental health in sport. Their community rallied to raise awareness and funds, reminding us that mental health matters just as much off the court as it does on it. Thank you, Jetbacks, for leading by example and showing how sport can be a powerful platform for positive change.

We also worked with High Kick Dance Studio, Blue Light Victoria, and Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place all rallying to raise awareness for youth mental health. A special thank you to Share the Dignity and the incredible Heathmont Heroes, who dropped off supplies and bags for young people in our community, your generosity makes a real difference.

This year, headspace Lilydale opened its doors for the Lilydale Melba Street Fair, hosting an art gallery for headspace Day, running activities, and connecting with the community about our services. We also partnered with Selby Community House, who identified a need for greater awareness and understanding of youth mental health and are taking community action to support local young people.

A huge THANK YOU to all the incredible young people who got involved in making headspace Day 2025 so special. Your creativity and courage brought our ArtSpace Showcase to life. Special shout-out to Miranda Bunting, Jasmine Littlechild, and the entire Youth Action Force (YAF) for your energy, ideas, and commitment you’ve helped turn our centres into spaces where young voices truly lead the way. And to our Centre Manager Amanda Thomas, thank you for championing this vision and creating room for these ideas to grow. Together, you’ve shown what happens when we make space for creativity, mental health, and community.

Finally, we were thrilled to welcome Kasthury and Ithara to the headspace Knox Community Engagement team. Next year, they’ll also step into peer work roles, supporting local multicultu ral young people a huge step forward in making our services even more inclusive and culturally safe.

This year has shown us that mental health is truly a community effort, and we are deeply grateful to every person, partner, and organisation who stood with us. To our incredible staff, thank you for your dedication, creativity, and commitment. Your work behind the scenes and on the ground ensures that young people feel seen, heard, and valued every single day.

And we’re not slowing down! Planning for 2026 is already underway, with exciting events like the Tamil Festival Australia and the Threshold Event in the Yarra Ranges in March. We can’t wait to see what we can achieve together. Stay tuned there’s so much more to come!