St John's Youth Services

28/05/2026

MYTH: You may have heard that enrolling to vote and voting aren’t compulsory…
FACT: Actually, they are!
We’re here to bust some myths about voting in our five-part series.

To kick off the series let’s start with this one…👀
MYTH: If I don’t have ID, I can’t enrol or vote…
Bust the myth and see the fact in the pic below.
Enrol now at aec.gov.au/enrol/

27/05/2026

What does Reconciliation Week mean in practice? Our CEO, Nicole, shares her reflections and a call to action for all of us. ❤️💛🖤

Transcript:
Hello, I’m Nicole Chaplin, CEO at St John’s Youth Services.
I’m here today to share what Reconciliation Week means to me personally, and what it means for St John’s Youth Services.

Today in South Australia, Reconciliation Week began with the annual Reconciliation Breakfast, attended by more than 3,000 people. I joined via the live stream, supported by Channel 44. It was a powerful event.

This year’s theme is “All In”. For me, that means we all have a role to play in reconciliation. It is work we must actively commit to, walking alongside Aboriginal people to ensure equitable opportunities in this country.

This morning’s event also reinforced that we cannot walk past racism. We must stand against it. We should aim to be more than allies. We must be active supporters who stand up for the rights of Aboriginal communities.

Through this commitment, we can help close the gap.

I invite you to join me and St John’s Youth Services in this work.
You can also learn more about our commitment to reconciliation through our newly launched Reconciliation Action Plan, which was developed in partnership with those who supported and guided us along the way.

Thank you for taking the time to listen. Please take part in Reconciliation Week, and more importantly, continue this work throughout the rest of the year.

Thank you

27/05/2026

Of the 40,000 young people facing homelessness in Australia, one third are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people despite First Nations people being just 5% of the population.

This won't change until policies and systems are designed with First Nations communities, and we all commit to leaning in and being part of the change we want to see.

As Reconciliation Week kicks off for 2026, we finalised our next strategy that will guide the Foyer movement of 70+ organisations to 2030 and beyond. One of our three connected priorities is backing First Nations self-determination so that First Nations young people have culturally safe pathways out of homelessness towards independent, thriving futures.

That means embedding cultural authority and First Nations leadership in the way we make decisions, building deep partnerships with young people, Elders and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Controlled Organisations, co-designing new First Nations-led Youth Foyers, and lifting the cultural safety and capability across every Foyer in Australia and the Foyer Foundation itself.

The Foyer movement is a small part of the change that needs to happen, but we are ALL IN. Today and every day.

26/05/2026

Today is National Sorry Day.

On this day in 1997, the Bringing Them Home Report was tabled in Australian Parliament. The Report documents the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, communities and culture, now known as the Stolen Generations.

This is not only history. The impacts of these policies continue to be felt by individuals, families and communities today.

We acknowledge this day with deep respect for the survivors of the Stolen Generations, their families and descendants.

We commit to listening, learning and taking action towards truth, healing and justice.

23/05/2026

21/05/2026

Understanding your rights can make a big difference, especially when things feel uncertain. If you’re a young person in SA, or supporting a young person, the Legal Services Commission of SA has released updated fact sheets this month. They cover a range of everyday legal situations from interactions with police to online safety and bullying. They're easy to read and designed to help young people make informed decisions and know where they stand.

You'll find them here: https://lsc.sa.gov.au/cb_pages/youth_publications.php

05/05/2026

Are you aged 17–25 and already involved in leadership, community initiatives, or work to influence issues that matter?

youth co-lab is a new initiative from YACSA that brings together young people who are already doing the work – creating space to connect, share experiences and keep building momentum.

Whether you’re part of a youth advisory group, leading initiatives, or making a difference on issues you care about, this is a space to learn from others, stay energised, and sharpen your impact.

📢 Connect with others doing similar work and build your network.
📢 Strengthen the skills that matter to you.
📢 Share honest insights on what’s working – and what’s not.
📢 Stay motivated with ongoing support from peers who get it.
📢 Collaborate with others to expand your impact.

We know young leaders already have the passion and vision to make a difference, and youth co-lab exists to back you.

Come along to connect with others, build your capability, and amplify the work you're already doing.

youth co-lab: For young people already making moves.

Register here now 👉 https://events.humanitix.com/youth-co-lab-may

Due to the nature of these sessions, we’re launching them as in-person opportunities. Living in a regional area? Follow the link and sign up to the mailing list to help us gauge interest for more sessions in the future!

Correction: the first youth co-lab session will be on Saturday 23 May (not the 28th as detailed in graphic).

ID: On a grey, crinkled paper background is a youth co-lab logo, with black text, except for ‘co-‘ in red. Beside ‘youth’ and about ‘lab’ is a grey hand and megaphone graphic, with red shapes mimicking sound coming out to the right. There is black text underneath, with ‘already’ in the subheading circled in red, and there is a red stripe along the bottom with a white URL and a green YACSA logo overlaying it.

05/05/2026

30/04/2026

The state’s rental crisis has reached breaking point, with low-income earners either severely restricted or completely locked out of the market.