SDECC

10/10/2026

Listening must lead to change.

This World Mental Health Day, we are reminded that raising awareness is only the beginning. When young people and families share their experiences, we must listen and turn what we hear into meaningful action.

At SDECC, we believe lived experience matters. Young people deserve connected, accessible and culturally safe support that recognises the links between mental health, relationships, family pressures, and alcohol and other drug use.

Real change means involving young people from the beginning, investing in early support, removing barriers to care and measuring what matters to them: feeling heard, safer, connected and hopeful.

Real voices must lead to real decisions. Real decisions must lead to real change. Together, we thrive.

Read our full World Mental Health Day 2026 article written by our CEO and Clinical Psychologist Dominique Robert-Hendren and join the conversation about building systems worthy of young people’s trust.

You can read the full SDECC article for World Mental Health Day 2026 on our website.
World Mental Health Day 2026: Listening Must Lead to Change - SDECC
https://sdecc.org.au/world-mental-health-day-2026/

21/09/2026

Happy World Gratitude Day. 🧡21 September 2026.

Today is a day to pause and appreciate the people and moments that matter most.
We are so grateful for every young person and family who has trusted us with their story. It is a privilege we do not take lightly.

This kind of feedback fills our hearts. Thank you to everyone who has walked alongside us.

We would love to know…what are you feeling grateful for today? Share in the comments below. 🧡

17/09/2026

Nuala now at Beaches Youth Hub on Mondays for SDECC!

We’re excited that Nuala, one of our AOD Counsellors, is now available at Beaches Youth Hub in Avalon on Mondays, fortnightly, making it even easier for young people on the Northern Beaches to connect with free, confidential alcohol and other drug support closer to home.

You can also find Nuala across our SDECC locations throughout the week:

Mondays – Beaches Youth Hub, Avalon
Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays – SDECC Manly
Wednesdays – SDECC St Leonards

Nuala works with young people aged 12–25 in a supportive, non-judgemental space. Whether you’re worried about your own alcohol or drug use, or just want to have a chat about what’s going on.

🧡

09/09/2026

Today is R U OK? Day. 💛

If there's a young person in your life who seems a little quieter lately, a little more withdrawn or just not quite themselves, trust that feeling. It's worth a gentle check-in.

R U OK? Day reminds us that we don't need to be experts to show up for someone. We just need to notice, ask with care and listen without judgement.

When alcohol or other drug use is also part of the picture, the same approach applies. As Dominique Robert-Hendren, SDECC CEO and Clinical Psychologist, says: "Staying calm, listening with curiosity, and letting them know you are glad they opened up can make a difficult conversation feel less frightening."

The R U OK? framework has four simple steps: Ask, Listen, Encourage Action and Check In. We've written about how to use these when you're supporting a young person around AOD. Read the article at the link below. 💛

https://sdecc.org.au/r-u-ok-day-youth-support-alcohol-and-other-drugs/

R U OK?

28/08/2026

Today is Wear It Purple Day. 💜 28 August 2026.

This year's theme is Colours of Courage, and if you're a parent or carer of an LGBTQIA+ young person, you'll know that courage shows up in many ways. In the conversations you initiate. In the way you show up, even when it's hard. In choosing to seek support when your family needs it.

LGBTQIA+ young people thrive when the people around them offer genuine affirmation and safety. As Dominique Robert-Hendren, SDECC CEO and Clinical Psychologist, says: "When families, schools and services provide genuine affirmation and safety, that can be profoundly protective."

If there is a young person in your life who is navigating questions of identity, belonging or wellbeing, and alcohol or other drug use is part of the picture, early support makes a real difference. It doesn't need to wait for a crisis.

SDECC's services are free and confidential. No referral or Medicare card is needed. We welcome LGBTQIA+ young people and their families, and our support is affirming, safe and non-judgmental.

We've written about what this looks like in practice. Read our Wear It Purple Day article at the link below. 💜

https://sdecc.org.au/wear-it-purple-day-lgbtqia-youth-support/

Wear It Purple Day, observed on 28 August each year, is a moment to stand with LGBTQIA+ young people and celebrate diversity, inclusion and the right of every

19/08/2026

Welcome Grace – our new Office Administration Coordinator!

We’re so pleased to welcome Grace Quinn to the SDECC team. Whether you’re visiting us at Manly or St Leonards, calling the office or emailing us, Grace will often be one of the first people you connect with.

We know taking that first step to reach out for support can sometimes feel daunting. Grace brings exactly the warm, calm and welcoming approach we want young people and families to experience when they first connect with SDECC. 🧡

From welcoming you with a coffee or hot chocolate and helping organise appointments with your counsellor, to keeping our offices running smoothly and supporting our CEO and counselling team behind the scenes, Grace will be an important part of the day-to-day at SDECC.

Outside of work, Grace enjoys cooking, hiking, pottery and spending time with her young family – and she’s currently working towards an impressive 5 km ocean swim! 🌊

Welcome to SDECC, Grace!

12/08/2026

Today is International Youth Day. 12 August 2026. 💛

The United Nations theme for 2026 is Different Contexts, Common Aspirations. And it says something important: no matter where a young person comes from, what they have been through, or what they are navigating right now, their hopes are not so different from anyone else's. To feel supported. To have someone in their corner. To know that things can get better.

At SDECC, we support young people aged 12 to 25 across the Northern Beaches and Northern Sydney region. Every young person who walks through our door arrives with their own story and their own context. And every one of them deserves support that meets them where they are.

Our services are free and confidential. No referral or Medicare card is required. If there is a young person in your life who could use someone to talk to, we are here for them and for you.

We walk alongside young people.

10/07/2026

For NAIDOC Week, we're reflecting on how we can continue strengthening the way we work alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, families and communities.

Recently, the whole SDECC team had the privilege of completing Cultural Safety training with Jemmason Power, a proud Aboriginal and South Sea Islander facilitator whose thoughtful, strengths-based and relational approach created space for meaningful discussion, reflection and learning.

The workshop encouraged us to think more deeply about culturally safe practice by replacing assumptions with curiosity, reflecting on the values and experiences we each bring into our work, and considering practical ways to create safer, more inclusive experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, young people and families.

Thank you, Jemmason, for creating a space that encouraged honest reflection, respectful discussion, and practical learning. We're grateful for the opportunity to learn from you.

27/05/2026

Today marks the start of National Reconciliation Week 2026, running from 27 May to 3 June.

The theme this year is All In, a call for every one of us to commit to reconciliation not just during this week, but every single day.

SDECC operates on Gayamaygal Country in Manly and Cammeraygal Country in St Leonards, both part of the Eora Nation.

Our vision is a society free of stigma where young people feel respected and empowered to access timely support. That vision only means something if it reaches every young person, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and families who face greater barriers to accessing care.

At SDECC, we walk alongside young people and their families, taking the time to understand their world and help them break down the barriers to living a healthy life. Ensuring our services are welcoming, safe and culturally appropriate is something we are continuously working to strengthen.

If you or someone you care for needs support, please know you are not alone. SDECC is here.

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Australia's First People and the Traditional Custodians. We value their cultures, identities and their continuing connection to country, waters, kin and community. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. SDECC is committed to making a positive contribution to the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and families by providing services that are welcoming, safe, culturally appropriate and inclusive.

All In. Together. 🖤 💛 ❤️

22/05/2026

Real talk ❤

We are here for young people aged 12 to 25.

No pressure, no judgement, no Medicare card needed.

Just a free, confidential chat whenever you feel ready.

FreeSupport