Orygen

Image 50–100 student placements per year
50–100 student placements per year
Image Employment pathways for VU students
Employment pathways for VU students
Image Research collaboration
Research collaboration

The partnership between Victoria University (VU) and Orygen is boosting the workforce capacity for youth mental health, and ultimately aims to improve mental health outcomes for young people.

Orygen is Australia’s centre of excellence in youth mental health. With the belief that all young people deserve to grow into adulthood with optimal mental health, their work, research and education are centred around this mission. Orygen believe in treating early and focusing on recovery, pioneering reform in this medical field to deliver real-world, practical solutions.

About our partnership

VU and Orygen are partnering on youth mental health to generate a skilled and qualified workforce, as well as expanding research opportunities and deepening our support for young people experiencing mental ill-health.

In collaboration, VU and Orgyen will:

  • continue our established collaborative research plan with a focus on physical activity interventions to improve mental health outcomes
  • create staff development opportunities across both organisations, including the recent appointment of Orygen Director of Nursing as Adjunct Professor at Victoria University
  • facilitate 40+ placements for VU students in 2023, and 90+ in 2024
  • connect students to full-time paid employment in youth mental health, with several Bachelor of Social Work graduates now working at headspace centres in the West
  • create a co-located facility on our Werribee Campus to provide enhanced support for young people in the area and opportunities for onsite learning and employment, set to open in 2024
  • participate in community events in the west, aiming to improve awareness of services and sharing tools around mental health.

Briahny with the team at headspace Sunshine. The team are standing outside a building with colourful street art, smiling and waving rainbow and headspace flags.
Orygen in education
Together we are growing the mental health workforce of the state’s northwest region by providing education and training opportunities for VU students, and focusing on collaborative research projects that aim to address the many challenges in Australia’s youth mental health sector.
Read about Orygen's work in education

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

This partnership addresses the following Sustainable Development Goals.

Benefits for students & courses

Briahny Lundberg standing at her desk at headspace Sunshine, smiling at the camera. There are framed posters and a window in the background.
Placing young people at the centre of their care – Briahny at headspace
Bachelor of Social Work
"We engage parental and carer figures in the way we want them to communicate with the young person – without judgement and fostering hope. "
Briahny's story

In the news

headspace Werribee Building 12, Victoria University 235 Hoppers Lane, Werribee
Headspace, Orygen & VU to supercharge mental health care
Orygen, in partnership with Victoria University, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and the Parkville Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Service, have launched an integrated model that brings together headspace Werribee and Orygen Specialist Program services at our Werribee Campus.
Read more
Two men in suits inside in a modern setting
VU & Orygen partner to boost mental health workforce
VU and Orygen, Australia’s centre of excellence in youth mental health, announce a partnership aimed at boosting youth mental health workforce capacity, and improving mental health outcomes.
Sara (left) and Ashwini (right)
Working with Australia's leading youth mental health organisation
As part of VU and Orygen's partnership to boost the youth mental health workforce in Melbourne’s northwest, Master of Applied Psychology students will complete mental health placements at Orygen.
Orygen & VU join forces to streamline mental health
headspace Werribee will locate its services to a new facility at Victoria University’s Werribee Campus, unlocking more accessible, integrated and comprehensive mental health care and wellbeing services for young people.

Contact us

[email protected]

Interested in studying at VU? Or are you keen to partner with VU? Get in touch today.

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