headspace Illawarra is an initiative of headspace:  The National Youth Mental Health Foundation.  The Foundation is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing under the Promoting Better Mental Health Program.

headspace Illawarra locally involves a community of youth service providers committed to working with each other and the community, so that young people aged 12-25 and their families will have access to a high quality, integrated service system that is proactive in

• promoting youth health
• preventing, identifying and treating mental health and substance use problems
• building the confidence and capacity of our community to help young people deal with life's challenges.

The headspace consortium partners are: ARAFMI Illawarra, Illawarra Division of General Practice (Lead Agency), Illawarra Institute for Mental Health, Illawarra Legal Centre, Lifeline South Coast, NSW Department of Education & Training (South East Region), Prime TV, Southern Youth & Family Services, University of Wollongong Graduate School of Medicine, Wave FM and Wollongong Crisis Centre Alcohol & Other Drugs Service.  We are also working with South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Area Health Service Southern Network Mental Health Services and a range of other Illawarra youth health and welfare agencies and services.

headspace Illawarra has three strategies:

1. Establishment of the headspace Illawarra Youth Health Centre

The headspace Illawarra Youth Health Centre, located at 1A Denison Street Wollongong, opened on 6 February 2008 and is staffed by GPs, youth workers, clinical psychologists, a mental health nurse, alcohol and other drugs (AOD) worker and administrative staff all with experience and skills in working with young people aged 12-25.  They work as a team, planning and coordinating care together with the young person and their carers, to address their physical and psychosocial needs.

2. Community Awareness, Education and Training

A critical responsibility of headspace Illawarra is to raise community awareness regarding issues facing young people and their families, and to provide education and training for anyone with an interest in supporting young people.

3. headspace in Schools program