State Government provides boost to Geraldton mental health service with $1.5m injection for Youth Hub

An organisation dedicated to providing mental health services to young people has received an almost $1.5 million boost from the State Government to set up a multi-service centre in Geraldton. Premier Roger Cook delivered the Lotterywest grant of $1.467m to Youth Focus, the lead agency at Headspace in Geraldton, during his visit on Wednesday. The Geraldton Youth Hub will be based out of Headspace in the CBD, making use of the currently unoccupied top floor to create a collaborative space. It is due to open next year. Mr Cook said young people should be able to access mental health support regardless of where they lived. “Across the State, every child and young adult deserves to have access to mental health support when they need it most,” he said. “The Geraldton Youth Hub will be a safe space that delivers high-quality services for young people in Geraldton and beyond.” According to Youth Focus, there were limitations with Headspace because counselling cannot be done outside the centre and its services were regularly booked out. The Youth Hub will allow local professionals to be based at the centre, but be able to go out to different areas not only across Geraldton, but the Mid West as far as Meekatharra. “It’ll enable us to go to nearby towns into schools in Geraldton and places like Northampton and Dongara, who’ve been asking for a while for counselling services in in the schools,” Youth Focus chief executive Derry Simpson said. “We’ll be able to have a counsellor that goes and sits in the school, two or three days a week. “We do it a lot in Perth and a lot in the South West. We’re in about 50 to 60, schools and it works because the kids get used to having you around.” Another benefit is the connection between State and community health services, which will work together to provide support. Ms Simpson hoped the hub would be the first contact for young people in need. “We talk about it as a no wrong door policy,” she said. “If we have a young person walk in, rather than just assuming what they need, if we have everyone in the building that have different areas of expertise, it means no matter what that young person needs, they can get it.” The upgraded space will feature private meeting spaces, collaborative rooms, a therapy garden and breakout space. The Lotterywest funding will cover renovation costs, furnishing and fit-out, project management and administration, lift and solar panel installation and the therapy garden expansion.