What the UN’s World Youth Report means for young Australians facing addiction

A new global report confirms what we see every day: mental health and substance use are deeply connected, and young people need support that addresses both.

Three out of four adult mental health conditions first appear before the age of 24. For many young people, that window is also when substance use begins, often as a way to cope with the very distress that hasn’t yet been recognised or treated.

This is one of the central findings of the United Nations’ World Youth Report: Youth Mental Health and Well-being, launched in February 2026. While the UN formally defines “youth” as those aged 15 to 24, the report’s survey and consultations drew on the experiences of young people aged 15 to 29, with the 20 to 24 age group making up the largest cohort. Across nearly 3,000 respondents from 137 countries, it’s the most comprehensive global snapshot of youth mental health in years and its findings speak directly to our work at Sir David Martin Foundation.

A global picture that mirrors what we see locally

The report found that 43 per cent of young people rated their general mental health as “poor” or “fair.” Close to 40 per cent reported that a family member had difficulty managing emotions, lived with a mental health disorder, or used alcohol or drugs. These aren’t distant statistics – they reflect the experiences of many of the young Australians who come through the programs we fund.

When asked what stopped them seeking help, young people’s most common answers were a lack of trust in other people, fear of not being taken seriously, and the worry of being a burden. Stigma, shame, and not knowing where to turn featured strongly and are barriers that the young people we support work to overcome every day.

“Everybody has mental health; you have to learn how to take care of it.”

— Young person, UN World Youth Report focus group

Substance use and mental health: why they can’t be treated in isolation

Globally, alcohol and other drug use ranks among the top 10 causes of disability for young people aged 10 to 24. The WHO reports that 22 per cent of 15 to 19-year-olds worldwide were using alcohol in 2019, and cannabis use among adolescents exceeded adult rates.

The report highlights that adolescence is a period of brain development second only to infancy. Young people are especially sensitive to social cues, peer acceptance, and emotional pressures which makes them more vulnerable to substances, and more likely to use them as a coping strategy when distressed.

This cycle is something we understand deeply. Many young people arriving at Triple Care Farm are dealing with both substance use and underlying mental health challenges. They may have started drinking or using drugs to manage anxiety, depression, or trauma – only to find their mental health worsening over time. Effective treatment needs to address both, and that’s exactly what the youth-specific programs we fund are designed to do.

What the data tells us about young Australians

Australia featured directly in the report through an interview with a 19-year-old Indigenous young man with out-of-home care experience, whose story illustrated how cultural disconnection, systemic disadvantage, and mental health challenges compound one another.

The report’s survey found that 51 per cent of respondents from the Australia and New Zealand subregion had wanted to talk to someone about their mental health but didn’t know where to turn. That’s more than half of young people feeling unable to access the help they need.

Domestic data reinforces the urgency. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare:

Why this matters for the work we do

The World Youth Report calls for a fundamental shift in how we approach youth mental health. It argues that treatment alone isn’t enough—we need to address the social conditions that shape young people’s wellbeing: their education, their family environments, their financial stability, their experiences online, and the communities around them.

This is the approach that has guided our Foundation for 35 years. Through our funding of Mission Australia’s Triple Care Farm, we support young people aged 16-24 through a holistic recovery journey that addresses substance use alongside the underlying factors that contributed to it – trauma, mental health conditions, disconnection from education and employment, and fractured family relationships. And through our Youth Network initiative, we’ve expanded Aftercare support to young people leaving residential treatment, funding dedicated Aftercare Workers across four Mission Australia sites in Robertson, Batemans Bay, Dubbo and Perth – because recovery doesn’t end when a young person walks out the door.

The report also emphasises that young people must be active participants in the solutions that affect their lives, not passive recipients of care. When young people have genuine agency in their recovery, they’re more likely to engage with treatment, sustain positive change, and build the confidence they need to move forward. It’s why we ensure a strong youth voice guides and influences our ongoing efforts through our Youth Advisory Group.

“Addressing youth mental health in ways that genuinely meet the needs of young people is a key priority.”

— UN World Youth Report 2025

Looking ahead

The UN’s findings reinforce what our community of supporters has long understood: that young people in crisis deserve compassion, not judgement. They deserve programs that see the whole person, not just the substance use. And they deserve a society that invests in their futures before it’s too late.

If you or someone you know needs support, visit syn08ee.syd5.hostyourservices.net/~stagingr/martinwp/get-support.

Sources

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It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Dame Marie Bashir AC, who served as Patron of the Sir David Martin Foundation from 2001 to 2014.

Dame Marie’s commitment to improving the lives of young Australians aligned seamlessly with our Foundation’s mission. Her distinguished career as a child and adolescent psychiatrist, combined with her role as the first female Governor of New South Wales, brought invaluable insight and advocacy to our work in youth alcohol and drug treatment.

During her thirteen years as our Patron, Dame Marie championed the Foundation’s efforts to provide accessible, evidence-based treatment for young people facing addiction. Her compassion, intellect, and unwavering dedication to mental health and youth wellbeing left a lasting mark on our organisation and the broader community.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Dame Marie’s family and join all Australians in mourning the loss of this remarkable woman who dedicated her life to service.JTNDc3R5bGUlM0UlMEEub3ZhbCUyMCU3QiUwQWRpc3BsYXklM0Fub25lJTIxaW1wb3J0YW50JTNCJTBBJTdEJTBBJTNDJTJGc3R5bGUlM0U=

Sir David Martin Foundation joins sector partners in expressing disappointment on the NSW Government’s response to the Drug Summit Report

Sir David Martin Foundation joins our partners in the Fair Treatment campaign and across the sector in responding to the NSW Government’s recent release of their response to the Drug Summit 2024 Co-Chair Report. As a Foundation dedicated to supporting young people affected by alcohol and other drug (AOD) use, we are particularly concerned about the implications of this response for vulnerable youth across NSW.

Young people deserve bold, evidence-based action that addresses the unique challenges they face. The Government’s response, whilst acknowledging some important areas, falls short of the comprehensive reform needed to truly support young people navigating drug use and the systems meant to help them.

The Fair Treatment Campaign shared a Media Release:

October 28, 2025

NSW Government squibs it in their response to the NSW Drug Summit Report

Responding to today’s announcement of the NSW Government’s response to the NSW Drug Summit Report, Emma Maiden, Uniting NSW.ACT’s Director of Advocacy and External Relations said: “The whole community will be shocked and disappointed at the lack of vision and boldness in the Government’s response to the Drug Summit.

“We saw the Bob Carr Labor Government meet the moment of the original Drug Summit in 1999 but the lack of leadership to meet the moment of the latest Drug Summit by the current government is profoundly disappointing.

“The NSW Government have let down the community down today.

“This response does not reflect what the community and the experts wanted.

“They have squibbed it.

“The mums and dads of NSW, the people who have lost someone they love, the people who can’t access treatment and the many, many organisations, officials and experts all came to the Drug Summit last year with goodwill, hope and high expectations for real, meaningful and positive change.

“Law enforcement, health experts, the community sector, academics, AOD specialists.

“This response today is really out of touch with community attitudes on these issues and is a real let down.

“While we welcome the reforms to the EDDI scheme- this was already going to happen as part of the two-year review into the scheme.

“In terms of an “investigation into cannabis driving laws”- we don’t need another ‘investigation’ we need the action already identified by the Cannabis Inquiry.

“First Nations people and regional communities are notably absent from this long-awaited response from government. Considering the failures of First Nations inclusion at the Drug Summit itself, this is a particularly hurtful exclusion of the people most disproportionately impacted by our unfair drug laws.

“We, along with everyone who contributed to and participated in the NSW Drug Summit in good faith, are fundamentally let down,” Emma said.

“The response today fails to adopt, resource and implement the 56 recommendations of the Drug Summit Report in full – to comprehensively deal with our unfair drug laws and the very real harm they cause.

“This weak response today is a win for bad politics over good policy” she said.

“This response fails to measure up to the bravery and efforts of the Carr Government 25 years ago.

“The reason we had a Drug Summit was that the status quo wasn’t enough, wasn’t working and was doing very real harm.

“This latest disappointment is only going to lead to further harm, further stigma in NSW and that needs to be worn by the NSW Government.

“The community, the experts, the sector, and the people of NSW deserve so much better than this.

“Despite this – we will continue to, along with everyone in the community and sector, campaign for real, meaningful reform to our unfair drug laws in NSW,” Emma said.

Uniting has run the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in Kings Cross for nearly 25 years and has spearheaded the Fair Treatment campaign for fairer drug laws for over seven years.

Read the media release on Fair Treatment’s website here.

Key implications for young people

The Government’s response reveals concerning gaps in addressing young people’s needs:

  1. Youth Drug and Alcohol Court not reinstated: The Government explicitly rejects reinstating the evidence-based Youth Drug and Alcohol Court (Recommendation 12.5), removing a proven therapeutic pathway for young people in the justice system. This specialist court provided tailored, health-focused responses to young people with AOD issues – its absence represents a significant missed opportunity.
  2. Strip searching continues: The outright rejection of Recommendation 12.10 , means young people will continue to be subjected to invasive strip searches – a traumatic practice that contradicts harm reduction principles.
  3. Limited commitment to reducing criminalisation: Young people continue to be disproportionately impacted by drug laws. The refusal to strengthen youth diversion programs perpetuates harm. While the Government supports reducing spent conviction periods for juveniles from 3 years to 1 year (Recommendation 9.4), no implementation timeline is provided, meaning young people continue facing barriers to employment, housing and education due to minor drug convictions.
  4. Treatment access remains inadequate: Recommendation 6.2 (enhance youth treatment access) is only “supported in principle” with no concrete funding, timelines, or acknowledgment of current service gaps and waitlists.
  5. Regional and First Nations young people overlooked: As noted in the Fair Treatment media release, First Nations people and regional communities are “notably absent” from this response. This exclusion particularly harms young First Nations people in regional areas who face compounding disadvantage and disproportionate contact with the justice system.
  6. Insufficient investment in early intervention: The Government supports prevention and early intervention “in principle” (Recommendation 3.1), but the response lacks concrete funding commitments or timelines specifically targeting young people during critical developmental periods.

Sir David Martin Foundation has been a member of the Fair Treatment campaign since 2024, advocating for fairer drug laws and better support for people affected by drug use in NSW, and will continue to collaborate with the sector to advocate for change.

We believe young people deserve a health-based, evidence-informed approach to drug use that prioritises their wellbeing, reduces stigma, and provides meaningful pathways to support when needed.

Further reading

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The Alcohol and Drug Foundation, in partnership with Sir David Martin Foundation, has completed a comprehensive mapping of youth alcohol and other drug (AOD) services across Australia.

The findings reveal both encouraging progress and critical gaps that directly impact young people’s access to life-saving support.

While the mapping shows notable strengths, it also revealed key obstacles preventing young people from accessing the specialist support they need, pointing to urgent opportunities for system improvement:

  • Specialised Clinical Services: Only 31 programs offer youth-specific withdrawal and detox services, indicating an opportunity to expand specialised clinical support.
  • Family Engagement: While 99 programs include family support, expanding this proven approach could significantly improve treatment outcomes, particularly given the strong evidence for family involvement in youth recovery.
  • Cultural Responsiveness: With 97 programs offering culturally appropriate support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, there’s scope to better address the specific needs of First Nations young people and families.
  • Service Navigation: Inconsistent age definitions across programs (ranging from 0+ to specific brackets like 16-28 years, with 12-25 being most common) creates confusion for families seeking appropriate support. Standardising these definitions could improve access.
  • Service Visibility: The complexity of the service landscape means some programs offering multiple services may not appear in relevant searches, presenting an opportunity to improve how services are categorised and promoted.

Overall this project highlighted some key areas where gains can be made:

  • Understanding how young people and their families go about searching for information on youth AOD services
  • Creating improved user-friendly tools that help families and young people navigate the complex service landscape and enable them to connect with appropriate specialist support
  • Using this evidence base to inform our funding decisions, prioritising investment in proven youth-specialist programs and addressing critical service gaps aligned to our mission
  • Building stronger connections and collaborations within the sector by sharing insights from this mapping with service providers and peak bodies

Ultimately this important work can also support initiatives to influence national youth AOD policy, including increased funding of specialist programs and addressing the geographic inequities that leave some communities underserved.

Making data-driven change

This mapping project represents more than statistics – it’s about ensuring that when a young person or family reaches out for help, they can access appropriate, youth-focused support. Every data point represents a potential pathway to recovery, and this comprehensive evidence base positions the Foundation to achieve our strategic aspirations over the next five years.

Through your continued support, Sir David Martin Foundation is leveraging this evidence to become a shining light to provide youth AOD service intelligence, so that more young Australians can find and access the specialist support they need to build healthy, fulfilling lives.

This analysis is based on the comprehensive Youth AOD Services mapping project completed in partnership with the Alcohol and Drug Foundation in May 2025 utilising the Path2Help database.

Thank you to our partner:

Alcohol and Drug Foundation

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New research reveals critical gaps in youth mental health services

Australian teenagers are waiting over three months (an average of 99.6 days) for their first mental health treatment session, according to new research from UNSW Sydney¹. The study of 375 teens aged 13-17 reveals a system in crisis, with demand for youth mental health support increasing rapidly over the past two decades.

Professor Bridianne O’Dea, one of the lead researchers, describes the current situation starkly: “We are now in the midst of a crisis where the demand for youth mental health care has increased rapidly in the past two decades”¹. The research highlights a fundamental mismatch between need and capacity, with psychological therapy being the first line of treatment but insufficient clinicians available to meet demand.

What Happens While Teens Wait

During these long waiting periods, many young people experience:

Dr Mirjana Subotic-Kerry, the study’s lead author, notes: “Young people reported that they experienced a high level of psychological distress during this period. They felt a strong sense of abandonment and a loss of hope”¹.

Signs of Resilience

Despite the systemic failures, the research also uncovered encouraging evidence of young people’s inherent resilience. Many teenagers demonstrated healthy coping strategies during their wait, including:

What Teens Actually Want

When asked how to improve their waiting experience, 50% of teens suggested simple solutions:

Dr Subotic-Kerry observed: “Interestingly, young people didn’t propose complex structural systems… They had really simple suggestions, such as increasing the amount of contact they received, and receiving information and communication about the wait time”¹.

The Solutions                                 

The research points to both immediate and long-term solutions that could significantly improve outcomes for young Australians seeking mental health support.

Immediate Actions:

Long-term Reform:

Why This Matters Now

Professor O’Dea emphasises the urgency: “The time is right for Australia to seriously consider the use of national standards”¹. With more young people seeking help than ever before, systemic reform is essential to prevent further harm during this critical period when teens are most vulnerable.

The research shows that while teens demonstrate remarkable resilience, individual coping cannot replace adequate mental health services. Simple communication improvements could be implemented immediately, while national standards would provide the systematic change needed for long-term solutions.

Need Help Now?

You can also access apps like these:

Sleep Ninja – Black Dog Institute 
Sleep Ninja is a free, evidence based smartphone app shown to be effective in helping young people with sleep problems.
ClearlyMe – Black Dog Institute
ClearlyMe is an app designed for teens aged 12-17 who are experiencing depressive symptoms, psychological distress or in other words, going through a tough time.
Smiling mind
Helps you learn the skills that promote mental wellbeing and create the habits to thrive.
Calm Harm
An app funded by teenage mental health charity stem4, to help manage the urge to self-harm.
SuperBetter
A game promoting youth mental health, resilience, social-emotional learning and student success.
MoodMission
When you tell MoodMission how you’re feeling, it gives you a tailored list of 5 simple, quick, effective, evidence-based Missions to improve your mood.

 

References

  1. Subotic-Kerry, M., O’Dea, B., et al. (2025). Wait times for mental health treatment among Australian adolescents: a cross-sectional survey study. BMJ Open, 15(3). Available at: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/3/e087342.full

This article is based on research conducted by the Black Dog Institute, UNSW Sydney, and Flinders University Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing, as reported by UNSW Newsroom, March 2025.JTNDc3R5bGUlM0UlMEEub3ZhbCUyMCU3QiUwQWRpc3BsYXklM0Fub25lJTIxaW1wb3J0YW50JTNCJTBBJTdEJTBBJTNDJTJGc3R5bGUlM0U=

The NSW Government now has six months to respond to a landmark report that could fundamentally reshape how Australia supports people facing drug-related challenges. Released in April 2025, the 2024 NSW Drug Summit report delivers 56 comprehensive recommendations across prevention, early intervention, community support, stigma reduction and criminal justice reform.

Recap of the NSW Drug Summit 2024

The summit, held 25 years after the historic 1999 Drug Summit, brought together over 550 individuals and 250 organisations across Griffith, Lismore, and Sydney. Co-chaired by former NSW Deputy Premier Carmel Tebbutt and John Brogden AM, the process emphasised treating drug use as a health issue rather than a criminal justice problem.

The report’s findings are stark: an estimated 101,773 people in NSW require but are not receiving treatment. Current services are underfunded, fragmented, and fail to address the growing complexity of presentations involving mental health, housing, and family issues.

Key recommendations at a glance

Service System Reform: A 10-year whole-of-government strategy with significantly increased funding, prioritising rural access and population-based distribution models.

Prevention and Early Intervention: Enhanced programs targeting the first 2,000 days of a child’s life, increased social housing investment, and place-based community initiatives.

Harm Reduction: Drug-checking services at music festivals, expanded needle and syringe programs, and legislative changes to enable additional medically supervised injecting centres.

Criminal Justice Reform: Reformed Early Drug Diversion Initiative with reduced police discretion, expanded specialist courts in regional areas, and cessation of strip searching for drug possession at festivals.

Workforce and Cultural Safety: Full implementation of the NSW AOD Workforce Strategy, expanded peer workforce programs, and enhanced Aboriginal community-controlled services.

Stigma Reduction: Community education campaigns, media guideline implementation, and reforms to spent conviction schemes to reduce employment barriers.

Young voices leading change

For young people, these recommendations offer hope, though many remain cautious about whether their voices will translate into real change. Over 35 young participants contributed to dedicated sessions, delivering powerful insights that fundamentally challenged decades of failed approaches—yet youth delegates raised concerns that insufficient time was allocated to exploring their priorities in detail.

Young people were clear that current school drug education “poorly resonated with their experience” and demanded programs treating drug use as a health issue. They called for evidence-based approaches delivered through channels they actually use, rather than outdated scare tactics.

The report identifies critical gaps in youth-specific services. Many young people face inappropriate placement in adult treatment facilities or must travel long distances from support networks. Current supported accommodation options of just 2-3 days are woefully inadequate for those leaving custody or treatment.

Perhaps most significantly, young people will be central to co-designing future services. The report calls for expanded peer workforce programs and integrated “no wrong door” approaches that address the complex, interconnected challenges young people face—from substance use and mental health to homelessness and trauma.

Powerful testimony from a young Aboriginal woman, who shared her experience as a 16-year-old, illustrated current system failures: “I went into drug and alcohol service and told them I was homeless and living on the streets. It’s like they ignored that entire part of my story because it was too hard for them… I understand now, as an adult, drug and alcohol services don’t help with homelessness, but it would’ve been gold for them to refer me to service that could assist me.”

Sector leaders demand action

Peak sector organisations are already mobilising for implementation. The Network of Alcohol and Other Drugs Agencies (NADA), the National Users and AIDS Association (NUAA), and ACON have issued a joint statement calling on the NSW Government to implement the report’s recommendations in full.

The organisations are urging the NSW Government to establish a dedicated Taskforce to oversee the rollout of the NSW Drug Summit recommendations, which must include representatives of people with lived and living experiences of drug use and other affected communities.

NADA CEO Dr Robert Stirling emphasised the sector’s readiness: “NADA supports the 56 priority actions and stands ready to work with the NSW Government to expedite development of a 10-year plan to improve drug policy and ensure that the people of NSW can access treatment and support when and where they need it.”

Time to act

The NSW Government’s six-month response timeline creates urgency around implementation. For young people and mental health advocates, this represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to move beyond fragmented, criminalising approaches toward integrated, health-focused services designed with and for young people.

As the peak bodies note: “The evidence is clear: a harm minimisation approach saves lives, reduces the burden on the justice system, and improves health and social outcomes. Now is the time to act.”

The blueprint exists. Young and lived experience voices have been heard. Sector leaders are united. Now comes the crucial test of political will and adequate resourcing to transform these recommendations into reality.JTNDc3R5bGUlM0UlMEEub3ZhbCUyMCU3QiUwQWRpc3BsYXklM0Fub25lJTIxaW1wb3J0YW50JTNCJTBBJTdEJTBBJTNDJTJGc3R5bGUlM0U=

In a significant move for youth advocacy, independent MP Dr. Sophie Scamps has introduced the Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill 2025 in federal parliament. This groundbreaking legislation seeks to ensure that government decisions consider their long-term impact on future generations.

The bill would require the government and public bodies to consider how their policies affect young Australians, addressing the growing concern that political decisions are too focused on short-term outcomes. As reported in Women’s Agenda, research from Griffith University’s EveryGen reveals that 81% of Australians believe politicians prioritise short-term issues excessively.

Dr Scamps highlighted that today’s young people face numerous challenges that have developed over decades, including housing affordability, climate change, mental health issues, and intergenerational inequality. “We are leaving our kids a far harder world to flourish in than the one we inherited,” she stated.

A key feature of the bill is the establishment of a Commissioner for Future Generations who would lead public consultations on intergenerational equity. The legislation aims to create a framework where government departments work together rather than in competition, fostering more cohesive policy approaches.

Professor Patrick McGorry, Director of Orygen Youth Health, has voiced strong support for the bill, noting that “young people are being handed a raw deal” and emphasizing that young Australians are facing unfair disadvantages despite being the very individuals who will shape and sustain our nation’s future.

The bill, which was seconded by Liberal MP Bridget Archer, draws inspiration from similar legislation introduced in Wales in 2015. It represents an important step toward ensuring that the wellbeing of future generations becomes a central consideration in Australia’s governance and policy development.

Sir David Martin Foundation recognises the importance of initiatives that protect and enhance the future prospects of young Australians, particularly those facing mental health challenges and other systemic barriers to wellbeing.

 

This blog is based on an article published by Women’s Agenda titled “‘Leaving our kids a harder world’: Dr Sophie Scamps pushes government to consider young people in its decisions.” Read the full article here.JTNDc3R5bGUlM0UlMEEub3ZhbCUyMCU3QiUwQWRpc3BsYXklM0Fub25lJTIxaW1wb3J0YW50JTNCJTBBJTdEJTBBJTNDJTJGc3R5bGUlM0U=

The NSW Drug Summit concluded on December 5th after an extensive consultation process spanning regional forums in Griffith and Lismore, followed by two days in Sydney. The summit brought together healthcare providers, community leaders, people with lived experience, and policymakers to address drug-related challenges.

Regional Insights

Griffith Forum
The sessions revealed significant concerns about the inequitable rollout of the Early Drug Diversion Initiative, with participants praising Canberra’s fixed-site drug checking service as a revolutionary model.

Lismore Perspectives
Discussions centred on post-flood trauma’s connection to substance use, with local services highlighting the urgent need for dual diagnosis treatment facilities. Community leaders emphasized the compounding effects of housing crisis and mental health challenges.

Working Group Recommendations

Safety and Justice

Youth and Family Support

Health and Support Services

Cultural Safety Concerns

The Equity and Inclusion working group highlighted significant gaps in representation:

Government Response

The NSW Government announced on December 19th that it will implement a $1 million, 12-month pill testing trial at music festivals starting in early 2025. This service will:

This announcement follows interim advice from the Drug Summit chairs, with Health Minister Ryan Park emphasizing that while “there are no silver bullets,” the government is committed to following expert advice to keep young people safe.

This update, along with the previously announced regional funding packages, demonstrates concrete outcomes emerging from the Summit:

Mission Australia has released the results of its annual Youth Survey, the largest survey of young people in Australia. There were 17,480 respondents to the survey, aged 15-19 years.

This year, the biggest issue for young people by far was cost of living, with more than half of young people (56%) identifying this as the top national issue. This was followed by climate change and the environment; violence, safety and crime; and discrimination and equality.

Alcohol and other drugs

A majority of young people believed that alcohol (55%) and drugs (64%) are a problem in Australia.

Overall, 18% reported that alcohol was a problem for their family or friends and 13% reported that drugs were a problem for family or friends.

One respondent noted, “ the challenge of staying away from drugs and alcohol and trying not to be peer pressured.”

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people identified alcohol and other drugs as the third-most important issue in Australia. 44% believed alcohol was a problem in their community, and 28% believed alcohol was a problem for their family and friends. This indicates that alcohol and drugs were viewed as a greater concern by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people than by the respondents as a whole.

The Youth Survey also asked young people where they accessed information about the risk of drugs and alcohol. Most said they accessed this information from teachers and schools (60%), via news or advertising (43%) and via social media (42%).

Knowing how young people are affected by alcohol and other drugs, and what they are seeing in their communities, is crucial to understanding how to best support them. The Youth Survey provides a valuable snapshot of what is important to young people, and the issues they are facing.

In December, six members of our Youth Advisory Group travelled to Triple Care Farm for an in-depth tour of the facilities and a day of workshops.

This was a rare chance for the Group to meet in person, as they live throughout Australia. Group members travelled from Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Canberra to the Southern Highlands of NSW.

Program immersion

Mission Australia’s Triple Care Farm Program Coordinator provided an intimate tour of the facilities, providing insights into the Farm’s comprehensive treatment approach, showcasing how young people are supported through:

“I have experience working in crisis mental health intervention and suicide intervention, and with these sorts of things it’s rarely a single-faceted issue; substance use often comes up,” reflects Group Chair Harry Waterworth. “There is a big culture of substance use in Australia, and I think it’s important that we get this right.”

Life-changing impact

Triple Care Farm’s proven track record demonstrates remarkable outcomes:

Peer-to-peer dialogue
The highlight of the visit was a candid conversation with current residents, who shared their personal recovery journeys and the program elements that proved most impactful in their transformation. For member Taeg Twist, these stories resonated deeply: “If things had turned out slightly different for me, if support systems weren’t as tight as they were, I could have easily fallen through the gaps. For me, it’s important that I go on to acknowledge that and create some change within that field.”

Looking forward

The day culminated in a dynamic workshop where Group members, each bringing distinct expertise and lived experience, collaborated on initiatives for the upcoming year. Their diverse perspectives and passionate exchange of ideas set a promising foundation for future advocacy work.

This visit marked a significant step in strengthening the connection between youth advocates and the vital work happening at Triple Care Farm, laying groundwork for even more impactful collaboration in 2025.You can find out more about the Youth Advisory Group here. 

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