headspace Bendigo Community Engagement Worker Haylee Kennedy said the youth mental health service has been connecting with Catherine McAuley College students this year, and Josie’s mural will be a lasting reminder of their continued collaboration.
“As part of our work with the school, we invited Josie to meet the students, and the school’s Koorie Education Worker Stephen Korp,” Haylee said.
“Josie inspired the students to get creative, and vice versa.”
Josie said the meetings were a crucial part of planning her mural. “The students showed me some of their art and the shared what they wanted to see on the mural,” she said.
Stephen said the headspace sessions offered students a chance to also pick up brushes. They’ve been painting terracotta pots, and filling them with Indigenous and edible plants. Some of the pots have remained at the school, and some have found a home at headspace.
“When our students visit headspace now, they will be able to feel a connection when they see their artwork displayed,” he said.
Stephen said it was important for students to know there were options for accessing mental health support in Bendigo, in addition to the school’s wellbeing team.
He said the headspace pots and mural project was also a great way for Catherine McAuley College to be a part of Bendigo’s NAIDOC Week program.
“As a school it’s hard to engage with NAIDOC Week, as it’s always on during school holidays when students and staff are away, so to engage via headspace is a great way to build a relationship.
“headspace has managed to connect mental health and schooling with our culture, which is a really great way for everyone to feel safe and to know that there is support internally and externally.
“It makes me proud to see how engaged all the students were with their painting and how they supported Josie with the mural.”
Josie said she hopes her mural will be a way for people at the school to connect with First Nation’s art.
“I hope it gives people a view into the connection that First Nations people have with the Country,” she said.
“The amazing headspace team have given me an incredible opportunity to not only create a mural, but to share my passion and love for Country, art and my people.”
About headspace
headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds. headspace has 108 centres across Australia in metropolitan, regional and remote areas, as well as online and phone support services through eheadspace. headspace can help young people with mental health, physical health (including sexual health) alcohol and other drug services, and work and study support. Centre details, as well as factsheets and resources for young people and their families and friends, can be located on the headspace website: headspace.org.au
