Is headspace making a difference to young people’s lives?

Appendix B
Census analysis of distance to headspace centres
Method
Based on the shape of the curve in Figure B6, living within 10 km and 30 km from an existing
headspace centre were selected as points which represented a substantial decline in use and
knowledge of headspace services. Therefore, for the purpose of further analysis, these points were
used to define access.
Centre locations
Using this definition of access, which assumes those living within close proximity to a headspace
centre are able to make use of services when required, the number of young people living within 10
and 30 km of all existing centre locations allocated up to Round 8 was assessed. While the YMM
analysis described in the preceding section used location information for centres assigned in Rounds
1 to 4 due to the timing of survey data collection, the present analysis was based in the hCSA and
was therefore able to use centre location for those assigned in Rounds 1 – 8. This analysis made
use of the 2011 census of population and housing usual resident population data. Point locations
for established centres were geocoded. In the case of funded centres which have not yet been
established in Rounds 7 and 8, exact centre location is not yet known. However, the postcode
in which these centres will be located is available. Therefore, likely centre location within the
postcode area was estimated, and this point was geocoded. Additionally, for centres allocated in the
hypothetical Rounds 9 to 14, which were determined based on the current model of centre allocation,
a location was estimated. As these centres were allocated at the SA3 or SA4 level, which in some
cases cover substantial areas, the centroid of the most highly populated SA1 within the selected area
was used to provide a proxy centre location. As a result, the interpretation of the findings for Rounds
9 to 14 should be undertaken with some caution.
Distance to centres
The proportion of the youth population living less than 10 kilometres from a headspace centre, within
a 10-30 kilometres radius of a centre, and those who were living further than 30 kilometres from a
centre was determined using census population data. Distance from each headspace centre was
based on the geocoded location of the headspace centre and the geographic centroid of every SA1
in Australia. Some SA1s in remote areas are large, and use of the centroid as a proxy location for
certain remote SA1s can result in some errors.
Results
Distance to headspace centre based on current centre allocation
At the completion of Round 8 approximately two thirds of young people aged 12-25 years will live
within 10 kilometres of a headspace centre, with the proportion of young men being very similar to
that of young women (Table B4 and Table B5). Only 12.5% will live further than 30 kilometres from a
centre.
Table B4 Males 18–25 years by distance to nearest headspace centre (Rounds 1-8), by age group
Males 12-17 years Males 18-25 years Males 12-25 years
Distance Number % Number % Number %
Less than 10 kilometres 529,721 61.7 812,831 69.2 1,342,552 66.0
10 - 30 kilometres 199,688 23.3 231,324 19.7 431,012 21.2
30 kilometres or more 129,454 15.1 130,158 11.1 259,612 12.8
Total 858,863 100.0 1,174,313 100.0 2,033,176 100.0
Social Policy Research Centre 2015
headspace Evaluation Final Report
136