13 and thriving: headspace Bendigo's birthday milestone

From little things, big things have grown.

This year headspace Bendigo is celebrating 13 years of helping local youth be in a healthy head space.

Since it first started operating in the region, community need has driven the youth mental health organisation’s growth from a humble front at the Bendigo Library to its newly expanded office in Pall Mall.

In that time, the team has delivered over 50,000 appointments to more than 6525 individual young people, their family and friends. They have also engaged over 70,000 participants in community engagement activities. The staff has grown from two to 28, and at one stage even included much-loved therapy dog, Hulli, who is still missed.

There is still no safe vape

As national laws around buying vaping products change again, anyone battling a nicotine addiction is being urged to stay strong.

“This change could be a trigger for temptation,” says Bendigo Community Health Services (BCHS) Senior Leader Integrated Health Promotion Natalia Smith.

“Kicking a habit like smoking or vaping is no easy feat, but I urge those who have, or have had, a nicotine addiction to look how far you’ve come; remember that your health and wellbeing is important, not just to you but to your loved ones around you.”

While the sale of e-cigarettes is restricted to pharmacies only, from today Australians aged 18 and over wanting to buy a vape without a doctor’s prescription can legally do so.

Law to log off teens has much to contemplate

Families are in unprecedented territory when it comes to social media and Bendigo Community Health Services (BCHS) believes there is much to consider before imposing legislation that bans teenagers from the various platforms.

In an announcement that has caused much debate, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this month said the federal government would introduce a bill by the end of the year that would ban teenagers, potentially aged between 14 and 16, from social media sites such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and Twitter.

Through education sessions and programs delivered to students at local schools by the BCHS Health Promotion team, it is clear young people have developed a complex relationship with technology, and specifically social media.