News And Events

Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health has partnered with employment services agency Campbell Page to trial a vocational recovery service for young people at our headspace centres in Glenroy and Craigieburn.

These services will be based on the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) model which has been effectively delivered through the Orygen Youth Health Clinical Program and shown to return 85% of young people with an experience of mental ill-health to work or study.
 
At a launch today at headspace Glenroy, Orygen’s National Vocational Services Manager Gina Chinnery outlined the impact this support can have on the lives of young people. ‘IPS is considered the gold standard of vocational support for young people with mental ill-health. We are very excited about the partnership with Campbell Page to introduce an IPS program in the Glenroy and Craigieburn sites and look forward to improvements in career outcomes for young people accessing the service.’
 
Orygen’s Director of Clinical Programs Liz Burgat sees great potential for this evidence-based model to improve outcomes for young people in the area. ‘We know from our current data of young people aged 18-25 that over 25% presenting at headspace Glenroy and 32% presenting at headspace Craigieburn are not studying or working. We are very excited that this program will work alongside young people to improve education and career options.’
 
To support the roll out of this trial an advisory committee of young people has been assembled to ensure that the program delivers on the needs and desires of young people. Representatives from this committee spoke at the launch about the importance this service can have on building confidence and improving recovery outcomes for young people with mental ill-health.
 
Led by our Associate Director of Research and Head of Functional Recovery Research Professor Eóin Killackey, Orygen has conducted significant research on the effectiveness of IPS for young people with mental ill-health and produced a comprehensive policy report entitled Tell Them They’re Dreaming.
 
In the May 2015 Federal Budget the Australian Government committed to funding a national trial of IPS services to be delivered through headspace centres.