information about headspace Online Communities and group chats

Each chat is an opportunity for young people, or adults supporting young people, to share and hear from others with similar experiences. A free, anonymous, safe and supportive way to regularly connect with others to share tips and experiences.
Get started
headspace day group chat

Welcome to headspace Online Communities and group chats

We're excited to have you here! To help keep our space respectful, inclusive and enjoyable for everyone, we've put together a few simple guidelines for participating in group chats. Whether you're here to share ideas, ask questions, or just connect with others, these rules and guidelines are designed to ensure a positive experience for all. Please take a moment to read through them before jumping into the conversation.

You can also read the headspace Charter of Healthcare Rights for Young People. 

Parents seperating group chat

Topics and group chats

qheadspace

Tuesdays, 6:30pm – 9:45pm AEST (in school terms) - for anyone aged 12-25. If you identify as, are questioning, or are interested in learning about trans and gender diversity and/or sexuality, join the community to discuss all things LGBTQIA+.

Navigating Life

Wednesdays 6:30 – 9:45pm AEST (in school terms) - for anyone aged 12–25. Whether you're navigating life's big questions or just need to feel a little less alone, this peer-led group chat is a safe space to talk it out. From relationships and anxiety to self-care and embracing change, we’re here for whatever life’s throwing your way.

Work and Study

Thursdays 6:30pm – 9:45pm AEST (in school terms) - for anyone aged 12-25. Join the community to learn tips and tricks to support you in achieving your work and study related goals. Resumes, cover letters, school, UNI, TAFE, and exams, it’s all covered

Adults Supporting Young People

Wednesdays 6:30pm – 9:45pm AEST (in school terms) – for parents, carers, family, teachers and more. It can be helpful to share experiences, challenges and tips when supporting a young person's mental health. Chats don't run when a monthly themed chat is scheduled.

Adults Supporting Young People - monthly themed chats

First Wednesday of each month 6:30pm – 9:45pm AEST (in school terms) – for parents, carers, family, teachers and more. A deeper dive into topics that can impact a young person’s mental health. Upcoming topics are listed inside.

08 Group chat

Online Communities is a peer work service

This means: 

  • Group chats are not an emergency or crisis support service. Please call 000 if you are in immediate danger or visit emergency assistance for more support options.

  • Group chats are facilitated by trained Peer Moderators (also known as Peer Workers) who have experienced, or supported a young person in their life who has experienced, mental ill-health. Group chats do not provide clinical support. If you would like to access clinical support, please connect with a mental health clinician through eheadspace.

  • Peer Moderators might collaborate with an eheadspace clinician if they need support during the group chat, or if they think there is immediate harm or danger to you or someone you know. This may include asking a clinician to talk to you. If a clinician plans to reach out to you, a Peer Moderator will try to let you know before this happens. 

headspace Online Communities Chat Guidelines

  • Zero-tolerance for discrimination: We have zero-tolerance towards racism, discrimination and any prejudice. Messages including any of these will lead to pausing access to the group chat or a permanent ban.

  • Respect lived experience: We all use our lived experiences to provide support in a group chat, including the Peer Moderators. It is important we remain respectful of each other's experiences.

  • Be mindful of your messages: Consider how your message might be taken before sending. When reading other messages, assume good intent. If you are confused by a message, ask before making assumptions about its meaning.

  • Be friendly and welcoming: Think about whether your messages are something you would like said to you. Respect people’s boundaries, beliefs and ideas. Swearing is allowed, but not at others.

  • Do not share explicit information: Details of self-harm, suicide methods, methods to lose weight, abuse, specific medication or drugs, are not allowed in the chat.  While we can talk about these topics, it’s important that we do so safely. Peer Moderators will support discussions to be safe for the group as a whole.

  • Stay anonymous: This is an anonymous group space. Do not share identifying information such as your email address, full name, photos of yourself or someone you know. For username changes, please email groupchat@headspace.org.au.

  • Avoid spamming: Be mindful of the frequency of your messages. Spamming the chat can lead to a pause or ban on your account. It is important to allow everyone to speak freely.

  • Do not attempt to avoid the auto-flag feature: The group chat features an ‘auto-mod’ that will flag certain words. If you message is flagged, the mods will look at it and release it if it is appropriate for the chat.

  • Keep your messages age-appropriate: Messages or resources that may not be appropriate for headspace’s age range of 12-25 may be flagged and deleted (including in group chats aimed at adults, family and carers).

  • Do not encourage illegal behaviour: Messages promoting illegal behaviour will be flagged and removed, and your access to the chat may be paused. 
qheadspace v2

Who are Peer Moderators and what do they do?

Group chats are moderated and supported by Peer Moderators. Peer Moderators may:

  • Support the group to keep on track and safe.

  • Flag your message to check it.

  • Private message you to support your engagement in the chat.

  • Connect with an eheadspace clinician about what is happening in the chat.

  • Edit a message so it abides by the Online Communities Chat Guidelines.

  • Provide a warning of an access pause if you have breached the Online Communities Chat Guidelines. 

  • Pause your access if you have breached the zero-tolerance guideline or breached Online Communities Chat Guidelines multiple times.

  • Check your account if required. You are anonymous to other chat members, but some Peer Moderators and eheadspace clinicians are able to view your account if required, such as to support your safety or in cases where your access is paused due to a breach of Online Communities Chat Guidelines.

Ready to join an Online Community group chat?

Visit Online Communities

Frequently Asked Questions

headspace Online Communities host regular live, text-based, online group chats led by trained Peer Moderators. They’re free, safe, and anonymous and a great way to connect with others who might have had similar experiences. Don’t worry – you won’t be on camera, video or audio.

There are separate chats for young people aged 12 – 25 and for adults supporting young people (like family members, carers, teachers, sports coaches and more). You can share tools and strategies that have helped you or just check out the chat and learn from others in the community.

Group chats run each week during the school term between 6:30pm – 9:45pm AEST, between Tuesday to Thursday.

You will be able to connect with young people, or adults supporting young people, anonymously through an online, moderated text-based group chat.

The topics covered depend on the purpose of the Online Community (check out our list of communities). A group chat’s general structure works like this:

  • Start of the chat: have a catch up and reflect on our day/week 
  • Middle of the chat: talk about topics suggested by the community and work on some activities together 
  • Towards the end of the chat: wind down time and setting goals for the week

You can drop in at any time between 6:30pm - 9:45pm AEST Tuesday – Thursday during school terms, and you don’t need to stay for the whole chat.

You can drop into a group chat at any time between 6:30pm - 9:45pm AEST Tuesday – Thursday during school terms, and you don’t need to stay for the whole chat.

You will need to have a free headspace account if you would like to participate and message in the group chat. The group chat is anonymous and only your chosen username will be visible to others when you type messages into the chat. You can read the messages in the group chat without an account.

We recommend creating and activating your headspace account or logging in before the group chat starts, so that you’re ready to participate if you wish to. You might also like to create a list of questions and topics to share.

You can come into the group chat at any point whilst it is live between 6:30pm – 9:45pm AEST during school terms. There is no obligation to stay, and you can leave at any time.

Please note, if you request a topic during the chat, you may not always receive a response straight away depending on how busy the chat is. You can always access the transcript of the chat within My activity in your headspace account to catch up on what you may have missed.

At the start of the chat, you can choose to either:

  • Be anonymous to other participants (a system-generated username will be displayed);  or
  • Display your headspace account username

If you choose to display your username, it will be viewable when you participate within a group chat, and in the group chat transcript visible on the website afterwards. It is important that your username does not include any identifying information such as your email address, full name, or location, and aligns with the community guidelines.

Peer moderators will have access to your username even if you choose to be anonymous, in order to maintain safety of the chat. You can read more about this in our headspace Online Communities Chat Guidelines.

You can request a username change by emailing groupchat@headspace.org.au 

If you're over 25, please join our group chat for adults who support young people’s mental health and wellbeing - like parents, carers, teachers or friends. Check out the Adults Supporting Young People Online Community.  

If you are over 25 and not supporting a young person, you can check out Beyond Blue Forums.

 

If you’re looking for professional support, you can chat online with an eheadspace clinician.

Online Communities group chats are run by trained Peer Moderators (also called Peer Workers) who have a lived experience with mental health challenges or supporting someone a young person who does. They’re here to help guide the conversation and keep things safe, but they’re not counsellors or clinicians.

Online Communities group chats run during Australian school terms, and take a break over most school holidays. Check the Online Communities page regularly for the latest updates

Yes. Along with other online support options, Online Communities was accredited for compliance with National Safety and Quality Digital Mental Health Standard.s. Basically, it’s a way of showing that we’re serious about keeping this space safe, supportive, and helpful for everyone who joins. Learn more about the NSQDMH Standards.