OUR STRATEGIC PLAN
(5 PILLARS)
And how we delivered on those…
1
Those we support
Ensuring we place those we support, and those who support them, at the centre of our service delivery.
2
Our sustainability
Achieving long-term financial sustainability through strategic growth of innovative, value for money services.
3
Our quality
Embracing our commitment to a quality, risk free, & safe environment for all.
4
Our workforce
Investing in team members who embody our values to foster a collaborative culture of excellence.
5
Our communities
Engaging to create meaningful connections based on trust and respect.
THOSE WE SUPPORT
Bundaberg Multicultural World Cup
headspace Bundaberg proudly hosted the first-ever Bundaberg Multicultural World Cup in collaboration with the Bundaberg & District Neighbourhood Centre and the Bundaberg Regional Council’s Community Development team. This event aimed to unite local cultural groups and celebrate the rich diversity of the community.
After months of planning by the headspace Bundaberg team and Youth Engagement Committee, the event featured a unique football (soccer) competition. Despite weather challenges, which led to a last-minute switch to futsal (indoor soccer), the event went ahead successfully.
Over 50 participants and more than 100 attendees, including family and friends, created an incredible atmosphere. Music selected by the participating groups highlighted different cultures, adding to the day’s vibrant spirit. New friendships were formed, and stories were shared, making it a memorable event.
Special thanks to the Bargara Football Club for their support, including refereeing and equipment. We also appreciate the sponsorship from Happy Family Asian Market for prizes and Bundaberg Futsal for supplying equipment on short notice. The positive feedback and discussions about future events suggest this is just the beginning of some lasting and meaningful connections in Bundaberg.
THOSE WE SUPPORT
Youth Week
This year, we came together to celebrate and recognise the remarkable talents and achievements young people contribute to the community as part of Youth Week.
Recognising a gap and a strong need for youth-oriented activities in the Tewantin-Noosa region, our Youturn and child safety team wanted to create an opportunity for those we support and other local young people to come together in a safe and fun environment.
With support from Noosa Council, we hosted a family-friendly day in Tewantin, providing an opportunity for local young people and their families to connect with one another and enjoy a day of fun-filled activities. The event featured a visit from some of the Sunshine Coast Falcons rugby team, and a performance from Seamus, an extremely talented young musician who we have been fortunate to meet through our programs. Both appearances proved a highlight for many who attended.
The day was a huge success, fostering strong connections and new friendships within our community and providing a highlight for many of those we support.
OUR SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability Through Expansion: Bribie Island and Adelaide
Youturn continues to drive its strategic objective of sustainability through the expansion of vital mental health services, highlighted by the opening of two key centres: headspace Bribie Island and the Youth Enhanced Services (YES) program in Adelaide.
The launch of headspace Bribie Island adds to Youturn’s growing network of six headspace sites and centres, providing essential mental health, work and study, and drug and alcohol support to young people in South East Queensland. This new satellite site reduces the need for local young people to travel long distances for care, further strengthening Youturn’s presence in the region. By building strong partnerships with government bodies like the Brisbane North PHN and leveraging federal funding, Youturn is committed to long-term sustainability, ensuring that vulnerable young people have ongoing access to localised, high-quality mental health services.
Similarly, the commencement of the YES office in Adelaide in April demonstrates Youturn’s dedication to transforming youth mental health care on a national scale. With a diverse team of professionals, the Adelaide centre offers evidence-based therapies in a supportive environment tailored to meet the unique challenges faced by young people. The program’s official launch, attended by key figures including Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, The Hon Emma McBride MP and Executive Director of Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, Prof. Pat McGorry, reflects Youturn’s commitment to expanding its reach and improving mental health outcomes.
StandBy Enhancements
StandBy Support After Suicide has continued to innovate and enhance its services to better support those bereaved and impacted by suicide loss. A key development this year was the introduction of the Suicide Bereavement Counselling Service (SBCS), available in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and the Northern Territory. Delivered by experienced counsellors, this virtual service provides tailored support for individuals dealing with the complex emotions of grief. Available via telephone or telehealth, SBCS offers a safe, personalised environment for exploring loss, using evidence-based strategies to assist individuals through their bereavement journey.
The SBCS takes a person-centred approach, offering flexible and compassionate counselling between 8am and 8pm, Monday to Friday (AEST). It is accessible to those actively engaged with StandBy, ensuring that people impacted by suicide loss have the support they need during their most challenging moments.
In addition, StandBy is focused on ensuring cultural safety and accessibility for its resources. The StandBy Support Packs are being translated into Simplified Chinese and Vietnamese, with SBS in Language and with reviews by the Transcultural Mental Health Organisation to ensure cultural sensitivity. By partnering with new CALD organisations, StandBy aims to reach more linguistically diverse communities, ensuring that everyone, regardless of language or cultural background, has access to vital support during times of grief.
OUR QUALITY
StandBy measures impact
The StandBy program is committed to delivering high-quality, evidence-based support for those bereaved or impacted by suicide. One of the key challenges in suicide postvention is finding meaningful ways to measure the outcomes of those who access bereavement support. To address this, StandBy has partnered with PhD candidate Bess Jackson from the University of New England on the “Meaningfully Measuring Outcomes in Suicide Postvention” project. This research aims to develop effective and sensitive methods for assessing outcomes, ensuring the tools used genuinely reflect the needs and experiences of individuals and communities.
Traditional outcome measurement methods, such as surveys, often fail to capture the complexities of suicide bereavement. In response, this project takes an innovative approach by consulting the literature and engaging key stakeholders, including StandBy staff, participants, and the Lived Experience Advisory Group. A comprehensive literature review and focus groups with stakeholders have already provided valuable insights, highlighting the need for a balance between customised and standardised outcome measures.
The next phase of the project includes a Delphi study, where a panel of experts will refine the proposed outcome measures. By 2025, this research will provide a framework for ethical and effective outcome measurement, helping StandBy continue improving the quality of its services and contributing to the broader mental health and suicide prevention sectors.
Reconciliation Action Plan
This year, Youturn made significant progress in our commitment to reconciliation by establishing the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Group. The group has been actively working on drafting our first Reflect RAP submission, demonstrating Youturn’s dedication to fostering meaningful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and communities. By integrating reconciliation principles into our day-to-day operations, we are prioritising cultural safety, increasing First Nations’ employment opportunities, and supporting community-led initiatives that drive positive change.
The RAP Working Group has taken a collaborative and inclusive approach, engaging with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure that our RAP reflects the values and aspirations of the communities we serve. This process underscores Youturn’s commitment to delivering culturally safe, high-quality services that are responsive to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
On track for approval in the second half of 2024, the RAP marks a significant milestone in our reconciliation journey and reflects our dedication to continuous improvement. By embedding reconciliation and inclusivity across the organisation, Youturn is setting a high benchmark for quality in both service delivery and internal practices, ensuring a positive, lasting impact on the communities we support.
OUR WORKFORCE
Employee Value Proposition
In line with our goal of fostering a healthy and supportive work environment, Youturn has implemented a series of wellness initiatives designed to enhance employee mental and physical health. These initiatives include the introduction of Wellness Leave, a suite of Wellbeing Webinar Trainings, and access to health-related discounts through the Rewards Gateway, all aimed at helping our employees thrive.
Our commitment to our people is evident in our continuous efforts to enhance the Employee Value Proposition (EVP), focused on improving employee satisfaction and engagement. Building on existing offerings like Corporate Fitness Discounts, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and generous Salary Packaging, we recently introduced Paid Parental Leave, Monthly Wellness Training, an Employee Referral Program, the Reward Gateway Smart Spending Program, and increased budgets for Employee Training and Development.
Wellness Leave allows staff to recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance, while Paid Parental Leave supports our growing families for the long term. Monthly Wellness Training, combined with professional development opportunities and flexible work arrangements, ensures our team has the resources needed to grow both personally and professionally. Many of these initiatives were implemented in response to staff feedback, demonstrating our dedication to meeting their needs and making Youturn an even greater place to work.
All of You Conference
In May, our Youturn team gathered from across Australia for the All of You Conference, our first in-person event in several years. The theme, “Getting together, to be stronger together,” highlighted the importance of collaboration in supporting individuals and families during times of need. Over three days, the team worked on strengthening our efforts across programs, gaining skills, and engaging in strategic planning for future priorities.
The conference provided a valuable platform for both outward learning and inward reflection, allowing us to share successes and challenges and learn from one another. Through workshops and insights from external speakers, we critically assessed how to improve our services and developed actionable plans to enhance our processes. The conference significantly strengthened cross-team collaboration, ultimately improving the support we provide.
Importantly, Youturn’s investment in this gathering was well worth it, as the overwhelmingly positive feedback from our team reinforced how beneficial it was in fostering connection, collaboration, and new insights to carry forward into our work.
OUR COMMUNITIES
Push-up challenge
The Push-Up Challenge is a free mental health and fitness initiative focused on pushing for better mental health for all Australians. Participants complete 3,249 push-ups (or alternative exercises) over 24 days, representing the 3,249 lives lost to suicide in Australia in 2022. Also a major fundraiser, raising much needed funds to support youth mental health through our headspace centres, The Push-Up Challenge received strong support, from our local communities and our Youturn team.
Many of our Senior Leaders and Executive Team led the way, supporting each of our five headspace centres. Dedicated community members right across our headspace regions also showed their support with more than 181 legends supporting our five centres.
In Bundaberg, real estate agent Shane Chung of Realway Bundaberg, ran a month-long social media campaign encouraging local businesses to donate to headspace Bundaberg, raising a total of $1500. We were humbled by the support of many others just like Shane.
Across our five centres, more than 320,000 push-ups were completed, and more than $23,000 raised for youth mental health. More importantly, The Push-Up Challenge resulted in stronger community connections, reduced stigma for mental health, and helped participants to create a strong link between their physical and mental health.
headspace Gympie
In collaboration with Cindy Vogels, headspace Gympie hosted the “Space Girls Festival – OUTER SPACE” during Pride Month, celebrating LGBTQIA+ pride and youth mental health. The event featured live performances from artists like IXARAS, ELLA FENCE, and HUGO AND THE HIVE, alongside food vans, market stalls, a free sausage sizzle, virtual reality experiences, and zine-making workshops. It provided a supportive space for young people to connect and feel included.
The festival also unveiled headspace Gympie’s new garden, Waratah, symbolising healing, transformation, and resilience. The Youth Engagement Committee played a key role in managing workshops, logistics, and ticketing, with support from the Gympie Flexible Learning Centre. The Space Girls Festival showcased the power of community collaboration, strengthened headspace Gympie’s community connection, and offered a safe, welcoming environment for young people to feel supported to manage their mental health and feel empowered for the future.
headspace Gympie is now a fully-fledged centre and seeing the centre grow has been amazing. I’ve met so many new friends and gained much-needed interactive skills. I’ve loved every minute of not only being a volunteer, but being part of this community.
Jake
Youth Engagement Committee (YEC) member
CHILD SAFETY
