Jaidyn Kennedy
Victoria University (VU) has announced a new partnership with Orygen to deliver better mental health care to youth in Melbourne’s west.
Orygen, in partnership with VU, the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) and the Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service (PYMHWS), have launched an integrated model that brings together headspace Werribee and Orygen specialist program services at Victoria University’s Werribee campus.
The partnership came through a combination of federal and state-funded programs and will provide vocational opportunities and graduate employment pathways for students studying mental health-related courses.
The centre is opening amid a surge of young people accessing mental health services in Melbourne’s west and north-west, with a 27 per cent increase in the number of young people accessing services since 2019.
Werribee is part of the fastest growing area in Australia, with young people making up 16 per cent of the population, and close to 5000 services were provided to young people by headspace Werribee last year.
VU Vice-Chancellor Adam Shoemaker said the university was proud to be demonstrating an innovative approach to the crisis.
“As well as providing care to young people, the service will provide direct practical experience and graduate employment pathways for students.”
Orygen executive director Patrick McGorry described the partnership as a landmark in youth mental health services.
“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,” he 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.”
Maddie Roberts Castano, a member of the headspace Werribee youth advocacy group (YAG), said that the location would also help strengthen the community.
“By offering accessible support and engaging programs, the centre will help foster a more connected community.” she said.
