Young Voices Lead the Way at the Southern Suburbs Youth Panel

On Wednesday 14 May 2025, young people from across Adelaide’s southern suburbs came together for a powerful day of connection, discussion, and collaboration at the Southern Suburbs Youth Panel, held at the Cove Civic Centre.

The event brought together members from the headspace Onkaparinga Youth Reference Group, Marion Youth Collective and the Onkaparinga Youth Council, and other passionate young people who are actively shaping their communities.

The day featured:

• A youth-led panel, where young people shared their experiences, ideas, and visions for improving mental health and wellbeing in their region.
• A professional panel of headspace staff, including a clinician, centre lead, Aboriginal peer support worker, employment specialist, support services officer, and community engagement lead.

Together, they offered insight into how a headspace centre operates and how services can better meet the needs of young people.

• A catered lunch, providing a relaxed space for connection and further conversation.

Plenty of rich, open discussion focused on driving meaningful change in the southern suburbs.

The event created a valuable platform for amplifying youth voice, encouraging honest conversations between young people and service providers, and sparking ideas for future partnerships and innovation.

A huge thank you to all who attended, participated, and supported the event - your input is already helping to shape the way we do things at headspace Onkaparinga and beyond.