Youth health focus areas

​ There are many organisations that work with young people focussing on specific health and wellbeing areas.

On this page

1. Aboriginal health
2. Adolescent medicine
3. Alcohol and other drugs
4. Disability
5. Education and schools
6. Healthy lifestyle and health information
7. HIV and Hepatitis
8. Homelessness
9. Legal
10. LGBTIQ+ young people
11. Mental health
12. Out-of-home care
13. Parenting
14. Refugee and multicultural health
15. Safety and protection from violence
16. Sexual and reproductive health
17. Young carers
18. Youth injury and prevention
19. Youth research

Aboriginal health

• Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council
• Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet
• Clontarf Foundation academies that help young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men to embrace more disciplined, purposeful and healthy lifestyles
• National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)
• Poche Centre for Indigenous Health research and policy to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's health
• Reconciliation Australia 

Adolescent medicine

• Canteen    supporting young people living with cancer
• Chronic Illness Peer Support (CHIPS) - supporting young people living with chronic illness -The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network  
• Department of Adolescent Medicine, Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick 
• Department of Adolescent Medicine, The Children's Hospital at Westmead
• Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Westmead Hospital
• Livewire  online community connecting teenagers living with serious illness or disability
• Managing diabetes supporting people living with diabetes – Australian Government
• PainBytes pain management network- Agency for Clinical Innovation  
• Transition Care Network helping young people who are transitioning to adult health services - Agency for Clinical Innovation
• Trapeze support for young people living with complex illness who are treated at The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network
• Youth Engagement Service supports young people to engage with appropriate services – HNEkidshealth

Alcohol and other drugs

• Alcohol and Drug Foundation information and advice
• Alcohol and other drugs information headspace
• Alcohol and Drug Information Service NSW counselling helpline for NSW residents with concerns around alcohol and/or drug misuse 1800 250 015 (24hours a day, 7 days a week)
• Alcohol information Australian Government  
• Family Drug Support Australia National phone support 1300 368 186 (24hours a day, 7 days a week)
• Information and support for family and carers Your room - NSW Government
• Nepean Blue Mountains Youth Drug and Alcohol Service NSW Government
• Ted Noffs Foundation helping young people move beyond drugs and crime
• Your room alcohol and other drugs information - NSW Government 
  

Disability

• Council for Intellectual Disability Easy read tool and information on health topics
• Disability Gateway information and services to help people with disability - Australian Government
• Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association support for non-English speaking background with disability and their families and carers in NSW
• National Disability Insurance Scheme 

Education and schools

• Be you education initiatives for educators to support the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people - Beyond Blue
• Racism No Way anti racism education for schools – Australian Government  
• ReachOut Schools whole-school approach student wellbeing resources for teachers, parents and carers  

Healthy lifestyle and health information

• Health information for young people healthdirect Australia
• Health information and advice healthdirect Australia
• Healthy living healthy eating, active living - NSW Government  
• Youth Plus  health links for young people – NSW Government 

HIV and Hepatitis

• ACON HIV responses for LGBTIQ+ communities
• Hepatitis NSW support for people affected by viral hepatitis in NSW
• Multicultural HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis Service

Homelessness

• Help with homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless NSW Government
• Reconnect early intervention and prevention program for young people (12-18 yo) who are homeless or at risk of homelessness – Australian Government
• Yfoundations The Health team provides training for foster carers, youth workers to support young people around sexual health
• Youth off the Streets provides homelessness and housing support for young people 

Legal

• Legal Aid NSW provides free legal help to disadvantaged people
• NSW Ombudsman
• The Shopfront provides free legal assistance for disadvantaged young people
• Youth Law Australia (Lawstuff) provides free and confidential legal information and help for young people    

LGBTIQ+ young people

• Interlink - peer support program for people with variations of sex characteristics -Intersex Human rights Australia
• Maple Leaf House specialist and multidisciplinary services for trans and gender diverse children and young people -NSW Government
• Qlife  – LGBTIQ+ national counselling service 1800 184 527 (3pm-12am everyday)   
• The Gender Centre services and support for the trans and gender diverse community
• Twenty10 support for anyone in NSW who may be LGBTIQ+

Mental health

• 13 YARN Crisis support line for Aboriginal and Torress Straits Islanders 13 92 76 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) – Lifeline Australia
• Black Dog Institute mental health research and strategies (including digital tools & apps, resources for schools and young people)
• Embrace Multicultural Mental Health resources, services and information for mental health services and multicultural communities - Mental Health Australia  
• headspace mental health information and services for young people
• Kids Helpline Counselling support line and webchat for children and young people 1800 551 800 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
• Mental Health Line phone service for people looking for mental health care and treatment from a NSW Health mental health service 1800 011 511 (24hours a day, 7 days a week)
• NSW Health Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
• ReachOut.com online mental health support for young people
• STARTTS provides assistance to refugee young people and their schools to help them get a better start in life
• Transcultural Mental Health Centre support positive mental health for people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
• The Butterfly Foundation support for eating disorders and body image issues. 1800 334 673 (8am – Midnight 7 days per week)     
• WayAhead (Mental Health Association NSW) mental health information line 1300 794 991 (9am to 5pm Monday to Friday) and WayAhead directory help to locate mental health support locally
• Youth Beyond Blue  general mental health support and information for young people; Counselling support line and webchat 1300 224 636 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

Out-of-home care (OOHC)

• AbSec- NSW Child, Family and Community Peak Aboriginal Corporation  empowers Aboriginal children, young people and families impacted by the child protection system  
• Because You Care online sexual health training for foster carers and those working in the OOHC sector – Yfoundations
• Club CREATEsupports children and young people in or with an out-of-home care experience - CREATE Foundation
• Information for children and young people in OOHC NSW Government 
• OOHC and Permanency Support Program (PSP) supporting PSP providers to deliver OOHC and permanency services to children and families - NSW Government
• OOHC Health Pathway program supports the health of children and young people (aged 0-17) in OOHC - NSW Government

Parenting

• NSW Education Standards Authority parent's guide to navigating the school system – NSW Government
• Parent Line  (Information and counselling for parents of children and young people aged 0-18) 1300 1300 52
• Parenting and mental health information for parents of children and young people aged 0-25 - Beyond blue
• Parenting Research Centre research and programs to support families in their parenting (including parents with learning difficulties, parents of children with disabilities)      
• Raising Children Network information for teenage parents
• Raising Children Network online resources for parents and carers parenting young people (aged 12-18) 

Refugee and multicultural health

• NSW Health Multicultural Health Communication Service translated health resources for refugee communities and multilingual health information database
• NSW Health Mental Health Community Living Supports for Refugees program provides support for adults refugees and asylum seekers with mental health issues to live and participate in the community
• NSW Health Multicultural and Refugee Health NSW Health's policies, plans and services recognise, respect and embrace the cultural and linguistic diversity of our people
• NSW Refugee Health Service clinical services and medical assessment for recently arrived refugees and asylum seekers
• NSW Service for the Treatment of Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS)
•  Settlement Services International (SSI) support and programs for newcomers to Australia (refugees, asylum seekers, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities)
• Transcultural Mental Health Centre support positive mental health for people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities

Safety and protection from violence

• 1800RESPECT provides domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support. Call 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
• Full stop Australia provides counselling, training and advocacy to support people impacted by sexual, domestic and family violence
• Help if feeling unsafe at home help and support for people experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence; child protection and wellbeing concerns; housing and homelessness support – NSW Government
• NSW Domestic and Family Violence Line counselling and referrals to women experiencing domestic and family violence 1800 656 463 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) – NSW Government
• NSW Health Sexual Assault Services services and support for victims of sexual assault; training and education to workers and community; Each local health district's Sexual Assault Service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week -NSW Government

Sexual and reproductive health

• BodyTalk reproductive and sexual health information for young people – Family Planning NSW
• Family Planning NSW Talkline free and confidential information, advice and options across a wide range of reproductive and sexual health issues 1300 658 886 (8am to 8pm Monday to Friday)
• Frank sexual health and relationships information for young people aged 18-29 – Family Planning Australia  
• In Real Life provides 'real world' answers to questions about sex and relationships for young people aged 13-18 – Family Planning NSW
• International Students Health Hub to improve access to sexual and reproductive health information for international students studying in Australia - NSW Government 
• Planet Puberty  provides puberty and relationships resources to support parents/carers of children with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder – Family Planning NSW
• Play Safe a sexual health website for young people - NSW Government 
• Play Safe Pro sexual health tools, training and resources for professionals to support young people - NSW Government 
• Sexual Health Infolink provides HIV, STIs and sexual health information, advice and service referral 1800 451 624 (9am pm-5.30pm Monday to Friday) -NSW Government
• Take Blaktion sexual health information for young Aboriginal people - NSW Government       

Young carers

• Arafmi services and programs to support mental health carers and families
• Carer Gateway services and support for carers - Australian Government
• COPMI (Children of Parents with a Mental Illness) information about parents and parenting with mental illness to support wellbeing of children and young people -Emerging Minds 
• Young Carers Network information about support services, resources and platform to share young carer stories and opinions - Carer Australia
• Young Carers Program provides information and referral support to young carers in NSW - Carers NSW      

Youth injury and prevention

• Youthsafe programs to prevent unintentional injury of young people.
  

Youth research

• Australian Bureau of Statistics
• Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) research to inform government policy and family services
• Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) provides meaningful health and welfare data and statistics  
• Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY) bringing  evidence and people together to catalyse positive change for children and young people
• Australian Research Centre in Sex  - La Trobe University
• Family and Community Services Insights, Analysis and Research (FACSIAR)   conducts and supports analysis, research and evaluation across NSW Department of Communities and Justice
• Longitudinal Surveys of Australian Youth- - Australian Government
• Mission Australia Annual Youth Survey and research
• NSW Health population health surveys current results - Health Stats NSW
• Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (PHCRIS) research and knowledge exchange to support primary health care policy and practice- Flinders University
• Youth Research Collective conducts research and projects seeking to improve children and young people's learning, participation and wellbeing – University of Melbourne