Headspace hits double digits on October 11 but after a decade supporting youth mental health, local operators are uncertain about the service's future in the wake of ongoing public health restructuring.
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Queanbeyan and Canberra Headspace manager Nicola Hubbard said there was a lot of resilience in the community of 12 to 25-year-olds, but the collective need in that age group sometimes "seemed insurmountable".
"In Canberra we are expecting to have 1900 young people use the service this year and in Queanbeyan's first year [in 2015] we saw about 800 people," she said.
"We feel gratified that we can support young people on an individual basis but in terms of the needs of young people, as a population group, it is definitely something we need to keep working on."
The 10-year milestone was a chance to reflect on great achievement, but political tussles over public health funding and the spectre of privatisation had the organisation nervous about its long-term future.
"In light of a lot of mental health sector reform and shifting responsibility to primary health networks to identify regional models of care, that does put Headspace at a potential risk," Ms Hubbard said.
Claire Marron is one of more than a quarter of young Australians who experience mental illness before they turn 25. She was diagnosed in high school with Bipolar II, distinct from Bipolar I as the person doesn't experience mania.
Since moving to Canberra to study law, politics and industrial relations at University of Canberra the 21-year-old regularly visits the Headspace on campus.
"It feels like a very comfortable place; somewhere youth can go for help if they are having a crisis moment or they need somewhere to turn, not just somewhere where you have the hour-long appointment and don't want to go back," she said.
"They don't talk down to you in any way and treat you as an equal, which I think is really important."
The University of Canberra campus #Headspaceday celebrations will feature a 'Big Stigma' pinata, scavenger hunt, lures for Pokemon Go fans and a free sausage sizzle.
"We want to encourage people to take hold of their wellbeing, look each other and be willing to have those courageous conversations," Ms Hubbard said.
"We get so many young people that come to the service because their friends have used it and seen benefit. Breaking that barrier down, that fear of seeing a mental health professional, is definitely helped when your peers have given it a go."
