Young mental health issues continue to be “complex” as Headspace helps 1,000 young people across Melbourne's eastern suburbs in the past year

Headspace Knox is open on weekdays at 2 Capital City Boulevard at Westfield Knox in Wantirna South, while Headspace Lilydale’s doors are open from Monday to Thursday at 216 Main Street.

Matthew Sims
June 17, 2025

Family violence and disordered eating are among the increasing issues young people are facing in the eastern suburbs, according to Headspace Knox and Lilydale centre manager Amanda Thomas.

What does Headspace do?

Headspace Knox launched in 2014 and is one of the longest-running Headspace centres in the country, with Lilydale then opening its doors in 2021.

The teams at Knox and Lilydale offer free and confidential mental health support and counselling services, as well as support in seeking work and study opportunities, a dialectical behaviour therapy group for those suffering with a borderline personality disorder and a free GP clinic restarting in July.

Their work also involved connecting young people with other support networks, including drug and alcohol support services, housing and homelessness help, the LGBTQIA+ community and school networks.

"One step away": Youth homelessness soars in Melbourne's east

Between 2016 and 2022, Victoria saw the most significant change in the number of people at risk of homelessness, rising from 591,000 to 987,000.

www.easternmelburnian.com.au/p/youth-homelessness-soars-in-melbourne-east

Last year, about 1,000 young people between the ages of 12 and 25 sought support across more than 6,000 requests for help.

Headspace Knox and Lilydale community engagement manager Jasmine Scampton said a key part of their work was developing young people with lived experiences to become mentors for others via the Youth Action Force (YAF).

She said one of the YAF’s major projects recently had been the Healthy Headspace podcast, with two episodes out now and another episode on eating well coming soon.

Youth crime in Knox up 88%, with 806 alleged offences in a year

Theft from a motor vehicle was both the most common and fastest growing crime across the state.

www.easternmelburnian.com.au/p/youth-crime-up-melbourne-eastern-suburbs

What issues are young people currently facing?

Amanda said anxiety, depression and stress were currently the top three reasons for young people to seek help from Headspace.

“At the moment, some of the themes that we’re seeing is an increase in family violence and an increase in disordered eating,” she told the Eastern Melburnian.

“We are seeing an increase in young people with complex presentations.”

Jasmine said part of boosting mental health support within the team was having fun as much as possible, including taking part in the Push-Up Challenge, with staff members on the way towards completing 3,214 push-ups over 23 days.

“It’s really important in all the complexity and the messiness that we do celebrate moments of joy,” she told the Eastern Melburnian.

You can reach out to Headspace via phone at 1800 650 890 or their online counselling service seven days a week between 9am–1am (AEST).

If you’re looking for someone to talk to immediately, Lifeline (13 11 14) and Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) are available to talk 24/7.