Youth Affairs Council Victoria

20/08/2026

Some stories stay with you.

🎙️ Finding Steady Ground is a new podcast where young people speak honestly about their experiences following disasters.

Across the series, you'll hear from five young people who share their personal stories, reflections, and the lessons they’ve learned through adversity. Through open and honest conversations, they’ll explore themes of recovery, connection and hope.

Created by the Centre of Excellence: Young People & Disasters in partnership with Phoenix Australia – Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, each episode also offers practical strategies, insights, and guidance to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people impacted by disasters.

Listen now at The Centre's website: ypdcentre.org.au/resources/finding-steady-ground-podcast

18/08/2026

Meet Bec, a youth worker helping young people feel supported and empowered.

Bec supports young people in many ways, from running workshops and social groups to helping them find housing, access services, build life skills and navigate challenges. She describes youth workers as "the GPs of a young person's world" because they connect young people to the supports and services they need.

For Bec, youth work is about advocacy and helping young people discover their strengths and voice. One of her proudest moments was seeing a young person gain the confidence to fully embrace and express their identity through a peer support group she helped create.

Stories like Bec's show why investing in youth work matters.

Because when we invest in young people, we build communities that are SUPPORTED CONNECTED and STRONG.

Read Bec's story here: https://www.yacvic.org.au/blog/bec/

11/08/2026

It's Census time! If you need help filling it out, check out Australian Bureau of Statistics or our explainer link: https://www.yacvic.org.au/resources/2026-census-explainer/

10/08/2026

Today we’re launching our campaign for young people and the youth sector, supported by Deloitte research that shows the significant value of youth work.

We believe every young person deserves opportunities to thrive. Right now, youth services are stretched thin, and thousands of young Victorians are falling through the cracks. We need a historic investment in the youth sector.

We’re calling for:
✅ Increased investment in early intervention and prevention services
📣 Embedded youth participation in decision-making processes, so young people’s voices are heard
💪 A strong and sustainable youth sector

Investing in young people helps our communities stay SUPPORTED CONNECTED and STRONG.

Read the research and learn more about the campaign.

It's the smart thing to do. For every dollar invested in youth services, our community gets $2.96 of social and economic benefits.

06/08/2026

This is your sign to finish that HEY grant application ASAP! We can’t wait to see what you come up with 🧠🌈✍️

Submissions close on Friday 14 August, 6pm.

Apply now: Yacv.smartygrants.com.au/HEYGrantsRound16

02/08/2026

For the first time, people aged 16 and over will be able to answer questions in the 2026 Census about their sexual orientation and gender. This might seem like a small update – but it’s actually the result of many decades of work by community organisations, researchers and advocates pushing for better representation.

In our latest blog, Professor Adam Bourne explains why the 2026 Census matters for LGBTQA+ young people, and what should be done to make it even more inclusive of the rainbow community in the future.

Read the full story:

Professor Adam Bourne is the director of the Australian Research Centre in S*x, Health and Society (ARCSHS) at La Trobe University.

24/07/2026

We congratulate the federal government on expanding paid prac to allied health university students. Next up is youth workers!

The more we invest in young people, the stronger our communities will be.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/see-the-full-list-who-will-get-338-weekly-payments-under-prac-payment-expansion/j8vf90nhj

If you believe that youth workers shouldn’t be forced into placement poverty, sign up to the YACVic Newsletter to join our advocacy campaigns: YACVic.org.au/sign-up-for-our-newsletters

The prime minister said it is "surprising" such a scheme supporting allied health students doesn’t already exist.

20/07/2026

This year’s Census takes place on Tuesday 11 August 2026. It’s the first time LGBTQA+ people will be counted in the Census. ✍️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Want to learn more? Visit our Census explainer: https://www.yacvic.org.au/resources/2026-census-explainer/

Stay tuned for more content about Census participation and how to safely be counted if you’re LGBTIQA+.

Every five years, each household in Australia spends one night filling out the Census. The Census is essentially a big survey that counts every person and household in Australia – and it’s not just for data nerds.

14/07/2026

Get creative with your LGBTIQA+ projects! We can’t wait to see what you come up with 👀🌈✍️

Apply for our HEY Grants: Yacv.smartygrants.com.au/HEYGrantsRound16

Register for this week’s info session: YACVic.org.au/get-involved/events/hey-grants-round-16-youth-led-application-writing-workshop/