Mental Health Services
We support children, young people and adults living with mental health concerns to improve their wellbeing and pursue a life with meaning, hope and purpose.
Sonder – n. the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.
What we do
Sonder is an inclusive, not-for-profit organisation that has been providing better quality health and support services to the South Australian community since 1993.
We support thousands of people each year to access multiple services that address their needs, delivered from a range of centres located across SA. Our focus is on supporting individuals across seven key domains – mental health, homelessness, Aboriginal health, alcohol and/or other drugs, employment, community health and disability.
Over the past 30 years, Sonder has established itself as a leading provider of mental health services in the state, earning a solid reputation for the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based clinical psychological therapy services for children, young people and adults.
Sonder is proud to be the lead agency for headspace Adelaide, Edinburgh North, Marion and Onkaparinga. The headspace centres act as a one-stop-shop for young people who need help with mental health, physical health, alcohol and other drugs or work and study support.
As an organisation certified to ISO 9001 and the National Standards for Mental Health Services, Sonder maintains a culture of continuous quality improvement through our internal Quality, Risk and Safety Committee. Our proactive approach to risk management and work health and safety ensures we deliver safe, effective, and high-quality services to our clients.
Our vision
Better Care, Better Health
Our purpose
To deliver high-quality, local healthcare and community services.
Our goal
We will be the leading organisation at delivering integrated primary care and community services to the most vulnerable people across South Australia.
Our values
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Respect
We demonstrate a deep commitment to respecting the individual needs, beliefs and heritage of all whose lives we touch.
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Honesty
We speak truth to power; and in every way we engage with the world within and outside, we strive for openness and transparency.
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Equity
We strive for a just, fair and inclusive society where we work alongside our clients to develop their potential to live lives of full citizenship.
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Fairness
We strive to create a workplace where the rights of all people are respected and valued.
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Trust
We strive to be honest and forthright in our dealings. We build trust in our clients, employees and stakeholders.
Our Reconciliation Action Plan supports our journey to becoming a culturally safe organisation and contributing to national reconciliation.
Learn moreOur history
Our story begins back in 1993, when Sonder was known as the Adelaide Northern Division of General Practice.
As a division of general practice, the organisation’s purpose was to support general practices to enhance the primary health care experience of people living in northern Adelaide, through the provision of program support, practice support education, training and IT support.
In April 2013, a change in Government led to the transition of Divisions of General Practice into what were known as Medical Locals.
The Adelaide Northern Division of General Practice became the Northern Adelaide Medicare Local, and whilst we retained a focus on general practice, the organisation began to broaden its scope to meet unmet community needs through various community health initiatives, such as Closing the Gap.
A further change in Government in 2015 led to the demise of Medicare Locals and the establishment of Primary Health Networks as commissioning agencies.
The Northern Adelaide Medicare Local was successful in its tender to become the Adelaide Primary Health Network, retaining 50% of staff from the Medicare Local. The other 50% of staff were transitioned into a service delivery organisation called the Northern Health Network (NHN).
The NHN found itself in a new space of competitive tender writing, which meant that almost 100% of our program funding was now dependent on grant funding, through agencies such as the Primary Health Networks.
This new funding landscape meant that the NHN was no longer quarantined to servicing only the north, and our dedication to meeting unmet community needs saw our service footprint expand into other regions of Adelaide and country South Australia.
Our rapid expansion meant that our name ‘Northern Health Network’ no longer reflected the service delivery organisation that we had become.
The NHN needed to revitalise itself into an agency that will remain contemporary and relevant for whatever the future will hold. We decided to re-brand into ‘Sonder’, a name with a definition that resonates well with what we represent as an organisation.
Sonder n. the realisation that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as one’s own.
Our social enterprise
A Social Enterprise is a business venture which allows financial and social values to co-exist. It is a business driven by a social purpose that is at the heart of what they do.
Sonder operates fee-for-service psychology practice, Solasta as a social enterprise. Solasta aims to be financially sustainable while providing social benefits to local communities.
The revenue generated from Solasta is re-invested back into Sonder. These small surpluses of income enable Sonder to continue to provide innovative services for clients that align with the organisation’s values and social purpose, beyond allocated funding.
Our services
Helping people to live better lives by providing high quality care, health and support services.
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Read more about Mental Health Services
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Read more about Alcohol & Other Drugs
Alcohol & Other Drugs
We support people with concerns about their drug and alcohol use to make long-term, positive changes that last.
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Read more about Community Health
Community Health
We provide care coordination and nutrition and exercise programs to support people to prevent and manage chronic health conditions.
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Read more about Employment Support For Young People
Employment Support For Young People
We support young people to plan careers, find employment or work towards further education.
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Read more about Aboriginal Health
Aboriginal Health
We support Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people to navigate the healthcare system, self-manage chronic health conditions and live healthier lives.
Our Annual Report
We are pleased to announce the release of Sonder’s 2023-24 Annual Report in a new digital format. In the past year, Sonder supported 13,686 people in metropolitan and regional communities across South Australia. This year’s report details our efforts to strengthen Sonder’s foundations, with a focus on financial stability, service delivery excellence, and governance.
Read our newsletter
Stay up-to-date with the latest announcements from Sonder and the primary healthcare industry.
Learn moreOur team
Sonder has a diverse and dedicated team of professionals who work across mental health, Aboriginal health, employment support, addiction services and general practice support.
Our team take pride in the organisation's friendly culture and is passionate about improving the health outcomes of our community.
FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Become a member of Sonder
Associate membership is free and open to all professionals in the health and community services sector.
Learn more