High Tea at Headspace

WONTHAGGI Headspace took the opportunity to put on a free event for the community with a high tea party to celebrate National Headspace Day on Wednesday October 10. 

“We wanted to open up our centre, get people involved and spend some time with our staff and meet other members of the community,” said Harriet Nunan, Community Engagement Officer for Headspace.

Holding a High Tea event was the idea of the organisations youth advisory group (YAG) who regularly give staff insight into what local youth want and need.

“They are the beating drum of the centre, we lean off any advice from them,” said Harriet.

Holding the event in the foyer of Wonthaggi Headspace was also a chance for people to check out Headspace in a friendly, inviting and casual way.

“People that are already experiencing mental health problems find that coming through the doors of Headspace can be quite frightening,” explained Harriet.

“Despite how much colour we put out there and our beautiful, friendly faces at reception and whatnot, it's a daunting experience.”

The YAG and another LGBTQIA+ advisory group called Amplify, meet weekly with Headspace to give feedback, discuss ideas and pitch for events they’d like to see happen locally. 

Amplify will be putting on an event in four weeks, where community elders will come together on a panel and talk about their gender and transgender experiences.

“It's all a means to remove that stigma around trans’ and try to promote some in-house education so that we can better support the youth that are experiencing some of those things,” said Harriet.  

The YAG have also been giving feedback about the need for more disability advocacy. In this vein Headspace are looking to collaborate with Maxima – a not-for-profit disability employment service, as well as host disability advocacy events and teach sign language to staff in the office, to make the service more openly accessible for everyone. 

In the meantime many from the community were enjoying the high tea event and the lovely sandwiches, sausage rolls and quiches made by The Wander Lust Chefs and the green Headspace coloured muffins from The Muffin Lady. 

“Nothing's better than having a cup of tea and sandwich with some new people and breaking bread, if you will, with the community,” said Harriet.