New space for headspace

YOUTH mental health and support service, headspace Ballarat is preparing to relocate next month to a new centre designed to better meet the needs of the community.

Currently sited at 28 Camp Street, headspace Ballarat assists young people aged 12 to 25 years with mental health, physical health, drug and alcohol, educational and vocational support and all of its services are provided free of charge.

From Monday 22 December, it will start operating from a new site at 20 Dawson Street North in central Ballarat, with full service delivery expected by early January 2026.

“We’re seeing more and more young people reaching out each year, and it is important we move to a facility that can meet that need, not only now, but well into the future,” headspace Ballarat centre manager, Madison Jones said.

The new centre is almost double the size of the current Camp Street facility.

“We’re really excited about the move and what it means for the young people we support,” Ms Jones said.

Ballarat Community Health is the service provider for headspace Ballarat.

BCH CEO Sean Duffy said the move builds on a long-standing commitment to supporting young people in the region.

The demand for youth mental health services continues to grow, and Ballarat is no exception, Mr Duffy said.

“Each year, headspace Ballarat supports more than 1000 young people across 4800 occasions of service,” he said.

“This move is a timely and important step to ensure we can continue meeting that demand in a space that truly supports young people and their families.”

The move has been made possible by Federal funding to Western Victoria Primary Health Network to deliver on capital and infrastructure improvements.

“We also acknowledge this relocation supports local jobs, with S.J.Weir appointed as the builder for this project” said Mr Duffy said.

The new Dawson Street North location remains close to the current Camp Street site – just 600 metres away – and has been designed to make access easier for young people and families.

Services will continue as normal during the transition period, in an effort to help ensure minimal interruption to client care.