HEADSPACE organisers have wasted no time in moving to set up a support centre for young people in Orange, with an information session to be held on November 11 at Orange City Council chambers to gather expressions of interest from agencies or organisations to be involved with the centre.
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Orange was announced recently by member for Calare John Cobb as one of a handful of new centres to be set up across the nation focusing on mental health issues of young people.
Across Australia Headspace centres have been run under the auspices of a successful tenderer which range from religious organisations such as Anglicare to Ramsay Health, and a range of not-for-profit organisations and community service organisations.
The Orange Headspace centre will offer help for young people with mental health, primary care, vocational training and support and drug and alcohol support.
Project manager for Headspace Shae Wissell said Orange’s Headspace facility will operate on the same model as other centres already established, with a lead agency in overall charge of running the centre working closely with a consortium of organisations and individual practitioners to operate the centre.
“For example we will have a drug and alcohol counsellor and a general practitioner come in to the centre,” she said.
Ms Wissell said following the Orange Expressions of Interest meeting on November 11 the weeks leading into Christmas will be taken up considering which organisation would be in the best position to oversee the running of the centre.
“Then early next year the next step will be to request business plans as part of the tender process,” she said.
“We have started now as there is quite a process involved in setting up the centre,” she said.
It is hoped Orange’s Headspace centre will be up and running by the end of 2015 or early 2016.
Mr Cobb said he is pleased Headspace organisers are coming to Orange to meet with the community so soon after the official announcement.
“Headspace provides a vital community service and I’m absolutely thrilled to see the wheels in motion so quickly,” he said.
“It’s absolutely fantastic that experts are coming to Orange to explain the benefits of Headspace and I hope the community will be on hand on November 11 to learn all about it,” he said.
For more details of the expressions of interest meeting in Orange on November 11 at Orange City Council chambers email newcentres@headspace.org.au or call Shea Wissell on 039027 0118
