New Horizons

22/11/2025

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that New Horizons has been named a finalist in the Healthy North Coast Primary Health Care Excellence Awards 2025! 🥳

This recognition highlights the dedication and impact of our teams who work tirelessly to improve the lives of the people we support - from disability accommodation and mental health initiatives to First Nations programs and homelessness support. We stand alongside other incredible individuals and teams, including GPs, nurses, and allied health professionals, all committed to making our community healthier and stronger.

A massive congratulations to all the finalists!

We are thrilled to announce the finalists for the Healthy North Coast Primary Health Care Excellence Awards 2025, an event dedicated to recognising the outstanding achievements of individuals and teams who go above and beyond to improve health outcomes in our communities.

The awards ceremony will take place on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, at Pacific Bay Resort, Coffs Harbour, where we will celebrate innovation, leadership, and dedication across the primary care sector.

These awards highlight the heart of our healthcare system, our passionate workforce, including GPs, nurses, allied health professionals, Aboriginal health workers, and administrative staff.

✨ View this year's finalists https://hnc.org.au/news-story/celebrating-our-2025-primary-health-care-excellence-awards-finalists/

Congratulations to all of this years finalists! We are looking forward to a wonderful evening of celebrations. If you haven’t registered get your tickets today! And don’t forget, we’re rolling out the glamour, so come ready to celebrate!

27/10/2025

We're still buzzing from our Recovery Cafe, held this morning in wonderful partnership with the Barista Brunch Bar (BBB) to celebrate .

It was a fantastic opportunity for our mental health program participants to come together, connect, and share their journeys towards well-being in a warm and supportive space. The conversations were uplifting, and the atmosphere was all about community and recharging – both literally and figuratively!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and to the brilliant team at the BBB for helping make it such a special event.

We believe deeply in the power of connection, and moments like these are what it's all about!

22/10/2025

How do you create mental health services that really connect with young people? You ask them! 🤝

This Mental Health Month, we're celebrating our incredible partnership with headspace , Australia's leading provider of mental health services for young people. New Horizons is proud to be the lead agency for the headspace centres in Ashfield, Brookvale, and Chatswood.

A huge part of what makes these centres so special is the Youth Reference Groups (YRG). These are teams of local young people (aged 12-25) who use their own experiences to help shape everything the centre does, from designing resources to planning events and campaigns.

It’s about making sure support is safe, relevant, and effective for their peers. We're so proud to work as one team with headspace to support the wellbeing of young people in our communities.

Learn more about this powerful partnership and how young people are leading the way here: https://bit.ly/3Jle3jo

- In partnership with headspace Ashfield headspace Chatswood headspace Brookvale 🙌

20/10/2025

Taking the first step on your wellbeing journey is often the hardest, but you don't have to do it alone. ❤️

If you've been thinking about talking to someone about your mental health, a great starting point is a Mental Health Care Plan. But what is it, and how do you get one?

Think of it as a confidential plan you make with your GP to access affordable support, like sessions with a psychologist.

It can feel a bit daunting, so we've broken it all down into simple, easy-to-follow steps in our latest blog post. We cover everything from what to say when you book your appointment to the kind of questions your doctor might ask.

Your wellbeing matters. If you're ready to take a step, this guide is for you.

Click here for the full step-by-step guide - http://bit.ly/47wznLX

14/10/2025

What an incredible day at the Healthy Minds & Wellbeing Expo 2025! We are so proud of our Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI) team from South Eastern Sydney, who not only attended but were instrumental in helping to organise this fantastic community event in Kogarah.

It was a brilliant opportunity to connect with the community, share conversations about mental health and wellbeing, and strengthen our network with other passionate local organisations. Building a supportive community takes teamwork, and it was wonderful to see so much of it on display.

And, of course, a huge highlight was throwing a few passes with the legends from the St George Illawarra Dragons! 🐉 It’s not every day you get to combine mental health advocacy with a bit of footy.

A massive thank you to everyone who made the day a success. If you'd like to learn more about our specialist mental health services, please visit our website: www.newhorizons.org.au

13/10/2025

For our CEO Luke Buckley, the passion for mental health support started with his very first job out of university. Working on a pilot program to help people transition from long hospital stays back into the community, he saw something that has stayed with him ever since: with the right support, people can thrive. ❤️

This Mental Health Month, Luke shares his personal reflections on that journey and how it shapes our work at New Horizons today - from running headspace centres for young people to our one-of-a-kind i. am program.

He also touches on the importance of this year's theme, 'taking steps on your wellbeing journey,' and how he champions the wellbeing of our own teams who do this vital work every day.

It’s a powerful reminder of why community, connection, and hope matter so much.

Read more of Luke’s reflections on our vision for the future of mental health support: https://bit.ly/4pHBjbD

09/10/2025

What does it mean to lead with heart and lived experience? ❤️ For Mental Health Month, we invite you to meet Daniela Allison, our General Manager for Sydney and the Central West.

Daniela didn't set out to be a leader. She started on the frontline, motivated by her own journey and a passion that was ignited when she saw people being left out of conversations about their own care. That fire never went out. 🔥

Today, she leads our teams guided by one powerful belief: with the right support, anything is possible.

In our latest blog post, Daniela shares her inspiring story, her vision for community-based mental health care, and how her "living experience" shapes the way we support people to build the life they want.

➡️ Read the full Q&A here: https://bit.ly/48dsX5v

Pictured here, you can see Daniela celebrating her 15th work anniversary with us.

08/10/2025

"I never had hope until I had a peer worker." ✨

Those powerful words come from Kristy, one of our incredible peer workers. For her, meeting someone who truly understood her journey changed everything and inspired her to do the same for others.

Peer workers are people who have 'been there.' They draw on their own lived experience with mental health challenges to offer hope, connection, and genuine understanding to others on their recovery path. It’s a relationship built on trust and the powerful knowledge that you aren’t alone.

This Mental Health Month, we’re celebrating our amazing peer work team. In our new blog post, Kristy, Kalei, and Peter share their personal stories about what makes this kind of support so special.

Read their stories and learn about the life-changing power of peer work: http://bit.ly/3KFUN0j

07/10/2025

🎉 What a milestone! We are thrilled to announce the official opening of the new headspace Chatswood centre.

Led by young people and designed with their needs at the very heart, this new space offers expanded services and a welcoming environment for anyone aged 12–25 seeking support for mental or physical health, alcohol and other drug concerns, or work and study.

📍 You can find us at Level 9, 465 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood NSW.

💬 “This new centre reflects our commitment to creating safe, inclusive spaces where young people feel heard, supported, and empowered to thrive.” – Michael Cummings, New Horizons

It was an honour to celebrate this launch with so many dedicated community leaders and partners. A special thank you to everyone who made this possible, especially our guest speakers:

- Dhinawan Yarn for the powerful Welcome to Country.
- The Hon Emma McBride MP, Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Su***de Prevention, for officially opening the centre.
- Jerome Laxale MP, Federal Member for Bennelong, and Tim James MP, Member for Willoughby, for their passionate advocacy for youth in our community.
- Our incredible partners at Sydney North Health Network for commissioning this vital service, represented on the day by Eugene McGarrell.
- Slaymon Anwaryar (New Horizons), Kiera Mansfield (headspace National), and most importantly, Claire Hsu and the brilliant headspace Youth Reference Group, whose insights and leadership are the foundation of this centre.

This is a true community achievement, and we can't wait to welcome young people through our doors.

01/10/2025

October is Mental Health Month! 🧠✨ A time to pause, connect, and talk about the importance of wellbeing.

To start this important month, we had the privilege of talking with one of the sector's most respected leaders, Peter Gianfrancesco, to reflect on his incredible 40-year career in mental health.

In our chat, Peter shares his journey, the powerful changes he's seen in the sector (like the rise of the peer workforce!), and offers a simple but profound tip for how we can all better support one another. His story is a brilliant reminder that every step on a wellbeing journey matters.

Ready to feel inspired? Read the full conversation on the New Horizons blog!
bit.ly/42hElcI

24/09/2025

Last week, our passionate team came together for a vital working session, sharing ideas and mapping out the first steps of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

For over 55 years, New Horizons has been dedicated to creating inclusive communities, and this is a profound and exciting part of our ongoing journey. Formalising our commitment to reconciliation is a step we are taking with great heart and purpose.

We look forward to sharing more of this journey as we work to build stronger relationships and create meaningful opportunities with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

18/09/2025

An incredible milestone deserves a huge celebration! 🎉

This week we are beaming with pride as we celebrate one of our dedicated team members at Packable, who is marking an amazing 40 years of service with us!

For four decades, she has been a cornerstone of our team, bringing passion, dedication, and a positive spirit to work every single day. Her commitment is a powerful testament to the supportive and thriving community we foster at New Horizons, where people of all abilities can build lasting, meaningful careers.

Her contribution has been immense, and we couldn't be more grateful. Please join us in sending a massive congratulations and a heartfelt thank you for 40 wonderful years!