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Mental health month: reflections from our CEO, Luke Buckley

For our CEO Luke Buckley, one of his first experiences out of university became the foundation of his life’s work. 

Many years ago, while helping people transition from long-term hospital stays back into the community, Luke witnessed a simple but profound truth that has guided him ever since: with the right support, people don’t just recover, they thrive.

This Mental Health Month, Luke reflects on how this insight from his early career continues to shape everything we do at New Horizons. It’s the driving force behind our headspace centres for young people, the inspiration for our innovative i.am program, and our unwavering commitment to community connection.

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“Every October, mental health month gives us a chance to reflect, raise awareness, and start important conversations about mental health and wellbeing. At New Horizons, this month is also an opportunity to pause and recognise the role we play in supporting thousands of people across NSW to live well, every day.

My own journey in mental health began just after university, when I worked on the very first Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI) pilot with NSW Health in 2001. This program supported people leaving long hospital stays – sometimes up to five years – to transition into a home and back into the community. It was complex work, but what I saw then still stays with me now: all people needed was a bit of support to become active and engaged in their community. That experience was incredibly rewarding, and it’s one of the reasons I remain so passionate about this sector.

Today, New Horizons is one of the leading providers of mental health supports in NSW. We deliver every NSW Health-funded community-managed mental health service, including HASI, CLS and CLSR. We also run three headspace services for young people, as well as the i.am suicide aftercare program, which is the only one of its kind in NSW. Some of these services have been running for more than 25 years, and our partnerships with the Ministry of Health remain strong.

This year’s mental health month theme is ‘taking steps on your wellbeing journey.’ In leading through change, I’ve learned the importance of managing my own wellbeing, as well as the wellbeing of my team and the wider organisation. For me, that means exercising regularly, staying calm under pressure, and taking the time needed to make good decisions. It also means role-modelling healthy habits, such as encouraging people to take breaks, leave work on time, and use their RDOs. Our roles can involve problem-solving, making decisions, and handling crises so it’s important to be in the right frame of mind. I always say to my team that when there’s a window of opportunity, take the time off, go to the gym, take the time in lieu.

At an organisational level, we’re focused on safe and sustainable work practices. That includes building rosters that minimise overtime, encouraging people to take annual leave, and supporting flexible working arrangements where possible. Work is such a large part of life, and it’s important that our people can balance it with time for themselves and their families.

Mental health month is a reminder of why this work matters. One in five Australians experience mental health challenges every year, and suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged 15 to 44. We see the impact of this every day in our communities. Creating awareness, reducing stigma, and encouraging people to seek help remain critical goals, not just in October, but all year round.

Supporting First Nations communities is also a priority. Psychological distress among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples remains significant, and we are proud to deliver a range of dedicated First Nations programs across NSW. These include yarning circles, youth driver training, case management, and culturally identified roles within our HASI and CLS services. Providing services that are culturally safe and community-led is central to our approach.

Looking ahead, innovation will continue to shape how we deliver services. One of the biggest lessons from programs like i.am is the power of co-design. Engaging directly with people who use our services ensures they are genuinely effective. What works in Tamworth may not work in Blacktown, and the way our programs could support a 10-year-old are very different to how we could support a 25-year-old. We must remain flexible, community-driven, and responsive. Capturing data and demonstrating our impact will also be critical. These services are funded by taxpayers, and we have a responsibility to show that they are making a real difference.

We have come a long way as a sector over the past 30 years, but there is still much to do. At New Horizons, we are proud to live and breathe mental health every day, by supporting people through every stage of life, building stronger communities, and creating hope for the future.”

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