Headspace, Orygen & VU to supercharge mental health care, research & workforce in Melbourne’s west

Orygen, in partnership with Victoria University (VU), the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) and the Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service (PYMHWS), has today launched an integrated model that brings together headspace Werribee and Orygen Specialist Program services at Victoria University’s Werribee campus. 

A landmark partnership between federal- and state-funded programs, the centre features Victoria’s first on-campus headspace centre, and will provide opportunities for practical experience and graduate employment pathways for students studying youth mental health-related courses, as well as much-improved access to mental health care for young people in Melbourne's west through the integration of primary and specialist youth mental health services.

The new-look centre opens at a time that the Orygen-operated headspace centres across the west and northwest of Melbourne have seen a 27 per cent increase in the number of young people accessing services since 2019, with a 50 per cent increase in occasions of service in the past five years. This reflects the national increase in need for care, with the prevalence of mental ill health in young people surging from 26 per cent in 2007 to 39 per cent in 2022. 

Werribee is part of the fastest growing area in Australia, with young people making up 16 per cent of the population, and close to 5,000 services were provided to young people by headspace Werribee last year.

Executive Director of Orygen, Professor Patrick McGorry AO, said the launch of the new site was a landmark moment for youth mental health care in Australia, bringing together clinicians, students, educators and researchers to meet the growing mental health needs of young people in the west of Melbourne, while addressing critical workforce gaps.

“The launch of this integrated youth mental health centre at Werribee is a huge milestone and will offer the opportunity for VU students to work with experts in the field, while also providing a seamless service offering for young people across all stages of ill-health and a template for service innovation across youth mental health services in the north and west of Melbourne,” Professor McGorry said.

Co-locating and integrating a headspace centre with a specialist state youth mental health service will offer seamless primary and secondary mental health care to young people, while our unique partnership with Victoria University will support a more coordinated, collaborative approach to tackling this crisis head-on.”

VU Vice-Chancellor Professor Adam Shoemaker said the University was proud to be demonstrating an innovative approach with this partnership and to be doing so uniquely on the Werribee Campus.

“As well as providing care to young people, the service will provide direct practical experience and graduate employment pathways for students studying higher education and TAFE courses in mental health, occupational therapy, peer work and youth work,” Professor Shoemaker said.

This initiative is a true exemplar of the Universities Accord Review Panel's recommendation to promote work-integrated learning opportunities within universities and to align TAFE delivery to industry skills needs.”

Chief Executive Officer of headspace Jason Trethowan said the new-look headspace Werribee would continue to provide young people and families in Melbourne’s west with the care they need.

“headspace Werribee has successfully delivered services in this community for more than a decade. This new space will provide young people and their families with more opportunity to access support, when and where they need it most,” Mr Trethowan said. 

“Just this month, a paper in The Lancet recognised headspace as a world-leading model of care for young people.

“Young people are amazing and, with support from organisations like headspace, they can and do navigate tough times to get back on track.”

Tara Cruise is a Clinical Case Manager in Orygen Specialist Program and said the Orygen Special Program and headspace Werribee site provides young people with a vibrant and calming space.

“The new location is a wonderful space and offers greater accessibility to mental health supports out west,” Tara said.

“As well as helping the broader community, we’re creating greater opportunities for VU students to explore the mental health field and gain exposure to different kinds of roles.”

Maddie Roberts Castano is a member of headspace Werribee’s Youth Advocacy Group (YAG), and said the YAG had played an important role in providing feedback and making sure the new space is youth-friendly and supports the needs of young people in the new location.

“The centre will not only provide essential mental health services, but its new location will serve as a cornerstone for enriching the broader community,” Maddie said.

“By offering accessible support and engaging programs, the centre will help foster a more connected community.”

The new site was established with support from North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network.