Tuesday, October 11, 2016 marked the nation’s inaugural National headspace Day – a national awareness day designed to ensure every young Australian knows how to get help for mental health issues if required, regardless of their location.

Developed by mental health support organisation, headspace, in partnership with the Australian government, the clever campaign urges Australians to show their support by jumping on the headspace day website, and printing off an “Access All Areas” wristband, to reinforce that young people should be able to access mental health support everywhere.

In a media release announcing the initiative, Federal Health Minister, The Hon. Sussan Ley MP said intervention in the early stages of a mental illness can reduce its duration and impact.

“Approximately one-in-four young people aged between 16-24 years may experience a mental illness at some point in their young lives.

“Our job is to ensure that young people know that help and support is available,” said Minister Ley.

“headspace has been a vital part of the Australian Government’s preventative health services for the last 10 years, providing teenagers and young adults with affordable, youth-friendly mental health services through the headspace network.

“During that time, headspace and the free confidential online and phone service eheadspace have provided support and advice to more than 260,000 young people,” Minister Ley said.

The Health Minister further reinforced that during the most recent election campaign, the Federal Government committed $20 million in funding for headspace facilities across Australia.

“The Australian Government during the recent election campaign, committed to investing $20 million for an additional 10 headspace centres, with the aim to increase services in rural and regional areas.”

According to headspace, the ongoing investment will increase the total number of headspace centres from 95 today, to 110 around by 2019.

Find out more about headspace, and the inaugural headspace day here.