Reflecting on the YSAS Conference
“Programs and services must wrap around young people and families and be shaped by their needs and preferences. Otherwise, young people can end up left bouncing between systems.”
It’s been two weeks since the 2025 YSAS Conference, where workers and sector leaders came together to explore integrated, responsive care and how to prioritise the needs of young people and families.
Wurundjeri Elder Perry Wandin welcomed us to his people’s country. Then the Minister for Mental Health, Ingrid Stitt, opened the conference and set the tone for the day.
YSAS Youth Peer Advocates Kayla and Lucia followed the Minister and spoke about the value of involving young service users in program design and organisational decisions.
The conference focussed on four key service streams: AOD Community, Mental Health, Residential Services, and Crime Prevention.
AOD Community
- Explored co-located models like the Dandenong Day Program and Sunshine’s partnership with AFFRO
- Discussed support for young people using AOD in Out of Home Care
- YSAS Family Reference Group highlighted the need for truly embedded family-inclusive practice
- Launched new tools like Single Session Family Consultation with the Bouverie Centre
Mental Health
- Showcased Single Session Thinking from headspace Collingwood to help make every session count
- Discussed culturally responsive engagement through initiatives like the Deadly Young Mob partnership
- Explored integrated models like BounceBack (wraparound care for complex needs) and the ADHD Pathway Project
Residential AOD Services
- Powerful storytelling from young people with lived experience
- Strategies for long-term support pathways post-rehab
- Learnt from findings from LaTrobe University research: Transitions from Intensive AOD Services: Young People’s Perspectives on What Helps
Crime Prevention
- Highlighted frontline programs like EYOP, PIVOT, and Youth Support Service (YSS)
- Tackled barriers like referral challenges and trust-building
- Shared best practices in early intervention, family-inclusive work, and culturally safe service delivery
The closing panels and refections brought together CREW members, Youth Peer Advocates, and practitioners to share stories of change and advocate for systems reform. Their reflections showed the real impact of youth-led participation across YSAS and beyond.
We also launched three key reports:
2025 Youth AOD Census Snapshot
Learnings from the Youth Support Service (YSS)
YSAS 2024 Annual Report
