Shepparton’s youth mental health foundation, headspace, is looking to compile a new Family and Friends Advisory Group to help improve their services.
The organisation in Shepparton has 16 staff and provides mental health counselling to about 500 young people. while headspace receives feedback from its clients, it is now looking for feedback from parents, carers, family members or friends of people who have used its services.
Shepparton headspace manager, Allison Sanderson, said she was looking for about 12 parents, friends, or carers, who know someone who has used headspace services, to consider joining the group.
“It’s significant because it’s one thing to get feedback from young people, but how do we find out from parents, friends and carers, how to we find out how we’re doing?” Ms Sanderson said.
“At the end of the day, we want to know if we’re doing a good enough job, and what can we change to make it better?”
Ms Sanderson said the group would likely meet once a month, mix with staff, potentially attend events and facilitate conversations with other parents around their experience of their kids using the service.
“We want someone who’s got a bit of a passion for mental health,” Ms Sanderson said.
“Someone who’s helped or has been involved or had some sort of interaction with a friend or family member that’s experienced some mental health difficulties, and someone who can give a bit of time and have a bit of fun. We really want you to get involved and be a part of it.”
