CLOSE to one in four youths across the Southern Downs have experienced mental illness such as depression or anxiety.

To help these numbers the Southern Downs Regional Council has teamed up with Headspace to celebrate National Youth week.

With eight events on offer around the region during the week Southern Downs Headspace manager Mark Goddard said he encouraged all youths in the 12-25 age group to attend as many events as possible.

"The aim is to celebrate the achievements of young people in the Southern Downs and focus on the theme, 'be active, be happy and be you'," he said.

"It is a really important message for young people and it will help provide a better level of mental health.

"So get along and meet all different types of people and re-engage with the community."

Events on offer include discount movies, art and DJ workshops and a great race event.

Beyondblue is sponsoring the national awareness week and the group's CEO, Kate Carnell, said Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showed more than 320 Australians aged 15-24 took their own lives in 2011.

"This is very concerning," she said.

"This means that a quarter of all deaths in this age group are as a result of suicide and that more young people take their lives than die in motor vehicle accidents.

"This is far too many."

Mr Goddard said the 2011 census statistics showed there were 5000 youths living in the Southern Downs.

"We have seen about 1400 of them," he said.

"Which is very similar to the one-in-four national statistics."

Mr Goddard said there were several signs youths needed to look out for.

The first is being withdrawn and not feeling like your normal self, along with not being able to sleep.

Mr Goddard said diet and nutrition were also good indicators.

"Having no appetite or eating too much, like comfort eating, are signs something is not right. I'm not talking about these things happening for a day or two," she said.

"Everyone has days were they fell a bit blue.

"I mean if these feelings and issues continue for a couple of weeks."

Mr Goddard said the biggest group who presented to the Warwick Headspace office were 15 to 17-year-olds presenting with anxiety.

To contact Headspace phone 4661 1999.

For more information on the National Youth Week events phone 4661 7166.

Youth Week April 5-13

• Friday - $5 discount movie tickets for 13-25 year olds to see Jack the Giant Slayer and Escape from Planet Earth.
• Saturday - Stanthorpe Youth Concert 9am-12pm at the Stanthorpe Piazza.
• Monday - Great Race: Warwick. Registration from 9.30am, starting at 10.30am. Teams of five.
• Tuesday - Stanthorpe Art and DJ workshops 1pm at ArtWorks on Davadi. Phone 4661 7166 to book.
• Thursday - Warwick Art and DJ workshops at the rotunda in Leslie Park. Phone 4661 7166 to book.
• Friday - Only $5 gym entry to Voyage Fitness for the whole day. Youth Concert at Cherry Tree cafe in Warwick from 6.30pm.
• Saturday - Warwick youth concert 9am-12pm outside Town Hall.