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We help you get on top of drug and alcohol problems, improve your mental health and build a better future

YSAS celebrates 25 years of impact — supporting over 100,000 young people and families to live healthy and fulfilling lives.

Since 1998, we’ve been walking beside young people and families as they work towards improving mental health and reducing both substance use-related harm and unwanted involvement with the criminal justice system.

Australia still needs a First Nations voice — it’s time to listen and act

YSAS continues to say Yes to a Voice to Parliament for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia and supports a Treaty in Victoria.

The latest from YSAS

Media Release  
16.08.2024

YSAS welcomes the passing of the Youth Justice Bill in the Victorian parliament’s upper house, bringing the state one step closer to raising the age of criminal responsibility to 12.

YSAS Acting CEO Dom Ennis said it was an important reform that will make Victoria a better place for some…

CEO Message  
14.08.2024

Youth Support Advocacy Service is disappointed that the Allan’s Government has renounced its decision to raise the age of criminal responsibility to 14.

Last year, the Government committed to raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 12 by the end of this year, and to 14 by 2027.…

Media Release  
30.07.2024

A coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, human rights, social services, health, youth, religious and legal advocates are calling on the Victorian Parliament to back and strengthen the Youth Justice Bill, which is due to be debated today.

Five years in the making, the draft laws present a promising…

Story  
27.06.2024
Jacinta Allen announces pill testing trial will launch this summer

Pill testing will be permanent in Victoria following an 18-month trial of both mobile and fixed-site services to determine how best to offer the free drug checks to users. The $4 million trial will see mobile-sites at 10 music festivals…

Media Release  
23.05.2024

Up to 330 young people per year who come into contact with police will be denied access to an effective program that can turn them away from crime and toward a better future.

Despite a recent rise in youth crime and concerns about community safety, the State Government did…

Media Release  
23.04.2024

YSAS welcomes the Allan government’s Statewide Action Plan to reduce alcohol-related harm, including the appointment of Victoria’s first Chief Addiction Advisor.

YSAS CEO Andrew Bruun said the plan demonstrates the government’s commitment to making evidence-based harm reduction policy and treatment available to those who most need it.

“A targeted,…

Media Release  
23.04.2024

Young people with lived experience of drug and alcohol-related harm are disappointed the Victorian government won’t create a safe injecting service in Melbourne’s CBD.

YSAS practitioners, addiction medicine specialists and experts with lived and living experience have supported the life-saving North Richmond supervised safe injecting service since its inception in 2018.

Story  
22.04.2024

John Albrecht has fundraised for febfast each year for 15 years, often raising over $10,000. Here are his top tips for boosting your fundraising efforts.

When it comes to charity fundraisers – think febfast, Run for the Kids etc. – it’s often the money-raising bit that’s the hardest. We diligently…

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