Headroom

Headroom (formerly known as Partnership with Young People Project) (PYPP) is a statewide mental health promotion project auspiced by the Children, Youth and Women's Health Service and funded by the Department of Health, Health Promotion Branch. The Project commenced in January 1997 and currently operates on an annual funding basis.

Background

The Project commenced by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Division in 1997. It is now situated with the Centre for Health Promotion in the Community Health Division. While it has evolved, it has retained its initial focus - to promote the concept of positive mental health and engage young people in thinking about and developing an understanding of their own mental health. To achieve this, the project has aimed to provide relevant and appropriate mental health information to young people and the people who care for and work with them, and actively create opportunities to reach and engage young people. In short, the project aims to increase health literacy and community awareness about mental health.

The Headroom Project employs a population approach to mental health promotion and has incorporated a number of innovative strategies, targeting young people across South Australia, designed to increase health literacy and community awareness about mental health. The Headroom Project is unique in that it is consumer driven and aims to engage young people in thinking about mental health outside of a structured school based intervention. In this respect, Headroom is a population based program rather than an individual or group intervention.

The Project has developed a web site to deliver relevant mental health information to young people and their carers. The Headroom web site is featured on national and state based portals and has received awards for innovation and design. As a communication channel, the internet has many strengths, including the ability to reach diverse audiences and to continually respond to changing needs. The Headroom Project uses the Internet which allows the user to determine how and when they will participate in this aspect of the health promotion program.

From 1999 to June 2007 the mental health campaign Positive minds attract was made available as part of the health through sponsorship program through Health Promotion SA, Arts SA and Office of Sport, Recreation and Racing and has provided Headroom with the opportunity to promote the mental health of young people to a broader range of organisations and associations. To support this communication strategy, a range of training and workforce development activities have been conducted to enable these organisations to actively promote the mental health message. The workforce development component of the Headroom project supports partner organisations to increase their knowledge and further develop skills that assist in the creation of environments that support young people's mental health.

Key Project Action Areas and Current Directions

Headroom has one main action area that aims to raise the profile of mental health among young people.

Health Education

• development of high quality and relevant mental health information for young people and the people who care for and work with them
• development of accurate and user friendly mental health information by young people
• engaging young people in dialogue relating to mental health delivered through the Headroom website and supporting printed resources promote Headroom as a health resource
• partnerships with youth health, mental health and education organisations

Previously, the project also worked to develop general community awareness and to develop the workforce through:

• Positive minds attract health campaign
• Arts SA and Sports, Recreation and Racing organisations and venues used as setting to promote the Positive minds attract message. The promotional strategies that are underpinned by educational and structural change strategies.
• promotional activities at youth and community events conducted by Headroom staff and young people in their roles as peer educators.
• Annual Headroom Songwriting Competition providing the opportunity for young people to express how they view mental health as it relates to their lives and seeks to engage young people in writing and developing an original musical composition that promotes positive mental health.
• provision of education to health, education, arts and sports and recreation organisations to increase awareness about mental health
• develop skills and environments that promote positive mental health
• support the community awareness strategy - Positive minds attract

Achievements of the Project

Headroom has made significant progress in placing positive mental health on the agenda of young people across South Australia however there is still further work to be done in increasing young people's awareness and knowledge of what factors (structural and skill based) protect and contribute to positive mental health.

National and State Recognition

• Identification of The Lounge by the Commonwealth Health Insite Project as a reliable and relevant health resource for young people
• Awarded the Ministerial Award in recognition of contribution to South Australian Mental Health
• SOFCOM pick of the net award
• 2001-2002 Golden Web award, recognising excellence in web design, originality and content.
• Achievement of HONcode compliance, which certifies that Headroom is a reliable and credible site according to the Health on the Net Foundation Code of Conduct (HONcode) for medical and health Web sites.

Publications

Brown C. & Lock C. 1999, "Adolescents' knowledge of and attitudes towards mental health", Health Promotion Journal of Australia, v.9, no.2, pp.82-88.

Lock C. & Brown C. 2002 "Mental Health - How do young people see it?", Balance Journal of the Mental Health Associations (QLD) inc Winter 2002 pp. 6-9

Lock C, Wright B, Phillips T & Brown C. 2002 "Headroom - promoting the mental health of young people: A multimedia approach" Youth Studies Australia v. 21 no.2, June 2002, pp. 31-35

Contact Details

Manager, Health Promotion

Dr Alison Smith

Location

Level 8, Samuel Way Building, Women’s and Children’s Hospital

Mailing Address

Headroom
8th floor, Samuel Way Building

72 King William Road
South Australia 5006

Phone/fax/email

Phone (08) 8161 7777
Fax (08) 8161 7778
Email : alison.smith@cywhs.sa.gov.au

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