Team stories

From volunteer to team member: Jenny’s journey to Each

Article details

Service category

Mental health

Date

Estimated reading time

2 min read

Jenny recently joined Each as a Community Engagement Worker, focusing on gambling harm reduction. What makes her appointment special is the path that led her here: Six months as a volunteer at our headspace youth mental health centre in Port Macquarie

Community outreach worker Jenny smiles in front of lush green foliage and bird of paradise flowers.
Jenny relocated from Canberra with a strong background in mental health education and a desire to broaden her experience in clinical and community-based settings. headspace quickly became the place where she could bring her experience, curiosity, and care together.

During her time as a volunteer, she helped launch Neurospace, a co-designed program supporting neurodivergent young people to better understand themselves, build confidence, and develop practical mental health strategies. Working closely with the Youth Reference Group, Jenny helped refine the program to ensure it truly reflected the needs of the young people it served.

“One of the most valuable parts of this experience has been learning just how powerful it is when young people are involved in shaping the programs that are for them.” Jenny remembered.

The experience was collaborative from the start — drawing on shared insights from headspace centres in Darwin, Palmerston and Albany, and guided by local voices, including Caitlin Black, a passionate co-facilitator and member of the Youth Reference Group. Clinical input from colleagues also helped shape the sessions into a safe, supportive space.

By the time the program reached its fifth week, the results were clear. Young participants were engaged, reflective, and building meaningful connections. The team is now gathering feedback, refining the content, and exploring how to offer it to more young people in the future.

“I already feel connected to such a kind and values-led team,” Jenny shared.

Jenny says working with young people has taught her a lot and made her feel lucky to be part of the Each community.

This experience has already taught me so much—about collaboration, co-design, and the courage young people show when given the space to be heard.

— Jenny

“I feel incredibly lucky to have had this opportunity—and I can’t wait to keep growing as part of this community.”

About 250 volunteers support the work Each does and we appreciate every one of them. Jenny is one of about 18 volunteers who have moved into a paid role at Each over the last few years.

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