Youturn loves to share stories of the work that we do in our communities to support people in their times of need, to live healthy and meaningful lives.
News | 17 December 2024
Jada’s Pawsitive Impact at YES Adelaide
It has been just over 18 months since Youturn’s YES Adelaide first opened its doors, and in that time, the YES Adelaide team has remained dedicated to listening to the young people in their community and providing tailored support options to meet each individual's needs. As part of this commitment, the team recently launched a new wellbeing initiative called Canine Connections. This group is led by Rosie, a Peer Support Worker, and features visits from Jada, a certified therapy dog,…
The Final Report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide
The Final Report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide is the culmination of three years of inquiry into the suicide crisis in Australia’s Defence and veteran population. In response to the Report, our StandBy team reaffirmed our commitment to supporting populations at risk of suicide and those bereaved and impacted by suicide, including Veterans. StandBy recognises the unique needs of serving Defence members, Veterans and their families as part of our work to support this Priority Population…
The latest version of Edge of the Present (EOTP), a Virtual Reality (VR) experience is offering a forward-thinking solution to the rising mental health concerns among young Australians. Youturn has once again partnered with the Big Anxiety Research Centre at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) to bring the innovative mental health intervention to headspace centres, and local shopping centres, across South East Queensland. The EOTP VR experience offers a 10-minute immersive journey, guiding users through stunning, mixed-reality landscapes…
Local businesses join forces to promote healthy minds for brighter futures
October marked Mental Health Month, a time to reflect on the increasing pressures facing mental health services across the country. In response to this rising demand, Youturn actively sought innovative solutions to support the mental health of young people. During this Mental Health Month, local communities united to raise both funds and awareness, all with the shared goal of promoting healthy minds for brighter futures. Youturn was fortunate to partner with White’s IGA, Nutworks, and Zarraffas Coffee, who helped spread…
Providing a safe space at the Big Pineapple Festival
In its first year back, Youturn joined the Big Pineapple music festival to host and manage a Sensory Space and Chillout Zone at the festival on the Sunshine Coast on Saturday 19 October at the Pineapple Fields in Woombye. The Big Pineapple Festival has been a significant event on the Sunshine Coast calendar for many years, providing a strong economic boost to the region, and a great experience and opportunity for locals. Excitingly, after a short break, and the cancellation…
StandBy is thrilled to announce that our first journal article from our current PhD study has been published! "Measuring the outcomes of support provided to people after a suicide or other sudden bereavement: A scoping review" in Death Studies. Funded by StandBy, this groundbreaking research explores how outcomes are measured, captured, and conceptualised in programs supporting individuals after a suicide loss or sudden death. We believe this study provides valuable insights that will enhance the postvention sector, fostering more effective…
Harry* was just 16 years old* when he first joined Youturn’s Supported Independent Living (SIL) program, after being supported through Youturn’s Residential Care Program. Over the course of his young life, Harry had experienced domestic and spousal abuse, and significant trauma, and as a result had difficulties self-regulating his emotions. Harry engaged in significant substance misuse, often used as a means to regulate his feelings and emotions. When first entering the SIL program, Harry was motivated to make a change…
Youturn brings Innovative VR Tool to Sunshine Coast this October
Youturn has once again partnered with the Big Anxiety Research Centre at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) to bring a pioneering mental health intervention to its headspace centres across South-East Queensland. The latest iteration of the Virtual Reality (VR) environment, Edge of the Present (EOTP), is now available for research at Youturn's headspace centres, offering a cutting-edge solution to the growing mental health crisis among young Australians. According to the 2021 Census, one-third of Australians have a diagnosed…
14 August 2024 Bribie Island, QLD — Young people on Bribie Island and the surrounding area now have access to vital mental health care and support with the official opening of a new enhanced satellite headspace site. The headspace Bribie Island service, located at 201 First Avenue, Bongaree, opened its doors on 29 July 2024, marking a significant milestone in the delivery of mental health programs for the region’s youth. headspace is Australia's leading national platform providing tailored mental health…
Our Youth Enhanced Service (YES) Adelaide team are making a difference. This is Jessie’s* story.
When Jessie* first visited YES Adelaide, like many, they were feeling quite overwhelmed. For Jessie, the experience of leaving the comfort and safety of their home, and travelling into the city, was a big one. Experiencing both social and health-related anxiety, Jessie struggled with leaving the house and had become quite socially isolated. However, with support from family, Jessie had made a very big step in choosing to visit our YES Adelaide team. At just 19* years of age, Jessie…
headspace Bundaberg holds first ever Bundaberg Multicultural World Cup
Our headspace Bundaberg team held the first ever “Bundaberg Multicultural World Cup”. Held in partnership with Bundaberg & District Neighbourhood Centre, and the Community Development team from Bundaberg Regional Council, the event focused on bringing the local groups together and celebrating the many different cultures that make up the community. Many months ago, the headspace Bundaberg team and Youth Engagement Committee were brainstorming ways to bring the various cultural groups together for an event. After some great discussions, it was…
Youturn celebrates the launch of Changing the Landscape
Youturn's StandBy and Youth Enhanced Service (YES) Adelaide teams, recently celebrated the launch of ‘Changing the Landscape’ led by Switchboard Victoria, a national campaign calling on the healthcare sector and governments to take action towards a suicide prevention system where LGBTIQA+SB people are recognised, considered and supported. This includes the national release of the Changing the Landscape Statement, a statement on the necessity of LGBTIQA+SB leadership and lived experience across all parts of Australian healthcare to achieve the highest attainable…
StandBy Support After Suicide now offers peer support across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and the Northern Territory
Our StandBy team are excited to launch our enhanced Lived Experience Peer Worker Program, which is designed to provide comprehensive and compassionate support for those navigating the complexities of suicide bereavement. The new peer support offering is structured around lived experience of suicide bereavement, ensuring that individuals receive the appropriate level of support tailored to their unique needs. This model encompasses one on one sessions, small group discussions, large group workshops and community engagement initiatives. What is peer support in…
headspace Maroochydore, a service run under lead agency Youturn, celebrates 10-years of delivering youth mental health services to Sunshine region. It has been over a decade since headspace Maroochydore first opened its doors to provide mental health support for young people and their families in the Sunshine Coast community. Now one of over 150 centres across Australia, headspace Maroochydore has supported over 12,000 young individuals since its launch and delivered over 60,000 occasions of service. These young people are part…
Edge of the Present Virtual Reality Returns in 2024
Over 2 in 5 Australians aged 16-85 are estimated to have experienced a mental health concern at some time in their life, with 1 in 5 having experienced a mental health concern in the previous 12 months.* The National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing revealed that the prevalence of mental health concerns in 16-24-year-olds rose by 50%, from 26% in 2007 to 39% in 2021. For various reasons including the pandemic and national rental crisis, the demand for mental…
Youturn kicks off campaign to increase access to Youth Mental Health support
Youturn, together with White’s IGA, is inviting the community to support a campaign to raise awareness and funds to expand access to Youth Mental Health support services on the Sunshine Coast this April. The ‘Healthy Minds, Brighter Futures’ campaign kicks off this week and runs in IGA stores for three weeks over Easter and Youth Week 11 – 17 April. Partnering with IGA stores across the region including the six White's IGA stores at Bli Bli, Baringa, Mount Coolum, Peregian…
For the first time, local not-for-profit organisation, Youturn, will be offering a FREE 8-week youth mental wellbeing program at The J in Noosa for teenagers and young adults (12 – 25 years). Supported by Noosa Council, the YouMatter program offers a relaxed non-clinical environment, free of judgement for young people to talk and connect. Delivered by the amazing Leon from Body & Mind by Leon, the program will provide them with tools and strategies to deal with life challenges and…
StandBy Support After Suicide has recently developed a range of new tailored resources, including videos and factsheets, to support those bereaved and impacted by suicide in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community. Deaf Australia is a Deaf-led advocacy and information organisation in Australia representing all Deaf, Deafblind, hard-of-hearing people and others who use Auslan as their language of preference. The collaboration highlighted that the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community find it challenging to connect with mainstream organisations…
Mix FM Broadcast and fundraising campaign for YouConnect Hub
During Mental Health Week in October, Youturn launched a campaign to raise funds for a YouConnect Hub to be based at our headspace Maroochydore centre. The Legends 92.7 MixFM including Mark and Caroline enthusiastically jumped onboard to help raise awareness for the importance of mental health across the week and hosted a live broadcast on the Thursday morning where an incredible $48,500 was raised thanks to our generous community on the Sunshine Coast! We were totally blown away! It…
The latter part of this year, Youturn and our CEO were nominated and recognised for various awards. It’s not often that we stop to reflect on the work that we have done, but it is nice every now and again to know that we are recognised along our peers. The season kicked off with our CEO, Dr Tanya Bell being named as the winner in the category of Sunshine Coast Professional Business Woman for 2022 at the Sunshine Coast Business…
This year headspace Caboolture’s Youth Reference Group (YRG) have talked about MEANINGFUL engagement and they identified that young people who have special needs do not get as much or sometimes no engagement from community services. With the help of a funding grant, the YRG planned, organised and participated in an event at their local special school to mark headspace day and raise awareness for the services that we offer. The team arranged a DJ/Dance Station, Sensory Station, Creative Station, Games…
Local not-for-profit organisation, Youturn, is delighted to announce the appointment of Noosa Mayor, Clare Stewart to the position of Patron. Following Youturn’s AGM last week, the announcement was made at their "Year in Review" event attended by their Board, Executive team, stakeholders and staff. Youturn’s CEO, Dr Tanya Bell, said, “It is with great pleasure that I am able to announce the appointment Clare Stewart, Noosa Mayor, to the position of Patron for Youturn. “When identifying a possible patron, a…
Our Big Hearts for Tiny Homes journey has had its bumps, but these past few weeks saw a great milestone achieved. With the awesome support of some great local legends and our incredible Youturn team, the Tiny Homes are fitted out ready to provide housing for those in need. Since the build was completed, install and fit out of the Tiny Homes has seen first of all our mate Dave from Dave Thomas Earthworks put in the hard yards, working…
"Meet Sam*. Sam first checked into Gateway House, Youturn's crisis accommodation in Toowoomba, just before his 17th birthday. He had left his home where there was a lot of conflict that regularly escalated, making home a less than safe place to be. After couch surfing with a mate, during which time he secured casual employment, Sam was referred to Gateway House by his friend, a former resident. Sam spent the next 6 months at Gateway House setting himself some goals.…
Life can be tough, and we can often be thrown some pretty tricky challenges. For our teens, children and young people, these challenges can feel amplified and seem never ending. YouMatter is an 8 Week Wellbeing Program, offering a relaxed environment free of judgement for young people to talk, relate and provides them with tools to deal with life challenges and stressful situations. Delivered by Leon Stensholm from Body by Leon, the program is designed to cover topics such as…
Did you know that each night in Australia 105,000 people are experiencing homelessness, with more than 1 in 3 being children and young people under the age of 25? Homelessness Week each August aims to raise awareness of the impact of homelessness on Australia and bring communities and organisations together to work towards ending homelessness. To cap off the week, our Youturn team donned the aprons and dusted off the tongs for a free community BBQ It was a wonderful…
Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers – The Float the Community Built
The Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is the longest running floral event of its kind in Australia, and earlier this year, Youturn participated in our first ever Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers Grand Central Parade! We were extremely proud to do so with a float designed and built by our community of workers, partners and supporters. The theme for the parade was REFLECT, CONNECT and SPARKLE. REFLECT: Youturn has a long, rich history of over 30 years! We are proud to be…
In 2022, National Child Protection Week highlighted the important message that ‘Every child, in every community, needs a fair go’. This year we shone a light on children growing up safe and supported. Youturn were fortunate enough to be joined by a number of families at Australia Zoo on Saturday of National Child Protection Week for the Family Fun Day. Local service providers all put together great activities for families to enjoy together, with plenty of craft, painting, building and…
Youturn were invited to host a Chillout Zone for teens and young people at the Caloundra Music Festival in October. Working together with Sunshine Coast Council and their Youth Council, our Youturn team including our headspace Maroochydore Youth Engagement Committee and members of our YouCrew, put together a space for young people to chill out at the festival. The “Yourspace Chillout Zone” included a hang out space for teens, festival makeup and hair braiders, phone charging stations and an all-important…
Although the legs are still feeling the effects, we couldn't be more grateful for such an amazing morning out at Jetts Fitness Caloundra’s Amazing Race for 2022. The Jetts Fitness Caloundra team, who have been huge supporters of Youturn and our headspace Maroochydore centre, have always been strong advocates for mental health for many years, highlighting the important link between physical wellbeing and mental health. Participating in previous events and campaigns such as the Push Up Challenge to raise awareness…
Youturn brings World’s first VR environment for mental health to the Sunshine Coast
The nation’s 2021 census recently revealed that one-third of Australians have a diagnosed long-term health condition, with mental health issues surpassing every other chronic illness. Given increased demand, it can be difficult to find support – but Youturn, local not-for-profit on the Sunshine Coast has introduced an innovative solution to assist those seeking support. “Around Australia, including the Sunshine Coast, people are experiencing substantial difficulties in accessing timely mental health care with demand growing and waiting lists expanding. “The challenges…
AVEO’S FASHION FUNDRAISER SUPPORTS YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH ON THE SUNSHINE COAST
Last week, the residents of Aveo Peregian Springs Country Club hosted a successful Gala Fashion Parade and Grand Raffle, all with the intent of raising much needed funds for youth mental health on the Sunshine Coast. An amazing $5,410 was raised at the event and donated to Youturn Youth Support, a local not-for-profit who, last year supported over 9,000 vulnerable young Australians and their families – many who were struggling with mental health concerns. With young people at the heart…
Our team is growing in Toowoomba with four new staff members joining us at Hume Street! Welcome to Rachel Vidler – Housing Strategy Manager, Belle Ellis – Bridging Families Case Officer, Shelly Matheson - Family Support Worker, and Stu Moar - Community Engagement Officer. Along with our growing team, our facilities and services are also expanding, with our brand-new laundry facilities soon to be available for use by our community. The laundry was a project made possible by the combined…
More than a hundred Youturn supporters to the “Big Hearts for Tiny Homes” project gathered on-site at Tewantin to launch the brand-new homes coming to site for transitional youth housing. A crowd favourite was speaker Angie Mansie who shared her own story as a local teenager who experienced homelessness from 14 years old after her parents separated and she provided a poignant reminder not to leave anyone behind. “I slept at school friends’ houses on couches, sharing bunk beds, in…
Christies have gifted Youturn their iconic all-abilities public barbecue for shared use at Tewantin with chef Matt Golinski helping host our first backyard barbie for a big crowd. The crowd gathered were Youturn supporters who had played some part towards the facility upgrades in the Earl Street precinct inclusive of outdoor kitchen, large deck and outdoor meeting spaces, sitting adjacent to the new tiny homes residential area. Youturn’s homelessness program manager, Haig Deere, explains how these new spaces will be a wonderful asset…
Youturn believes the emotional and physical wellbeing of our employees is paramount. Our wellness partner Benestar provides 24/7 confidential support to all our staff, in addition to a huge amount of helpful information available to support with the daily stressors of life (particularly in COVID). In particular our frontline child protection workers often face complex, highly stressful, emotionally and psychologically taxing situations and, at times this can result in exposure to trauma and aggressive behaviour from at-risk children and their…
Youturn recruits intrinsically motivated employees dedicated to finding the best outcome for the people in our care. Our team members make a real and sustainable difference in the communities in which we operate, and this is what drives us. Sharing wins and supporting one another on the journey is key. Our recruitment processes aim to find the right people to fit with our culture, and above all we hire for attitude and train for skill. We specifically look for people…
Youturn has been delivering services to young people in the Toowoomba region for a long time now, but in August of 2020, Youturn’s CEO made an announcement about a significant capital investment of $400,000 which Youturn would be committing to, to establish additional affordable housing for young people in Toowoomba. This investment of two new two-bedroom townhouses, would provide much needed transitional accommodation in this region to support youth who have transited from homelessness, into crisis housing, have the support…
Brite Ball celebrates diversity and creates a safe space for our LGBTIQA+ Community
This year, headspace Bundaberg hosted a glitter and glam gala dinner dance for the LGBTIQA+ community and their allies. The event, which was for 16+yr olds, featured sparkles, glitter, rainbows, great food, entertainment and drag queens (Quiche Lorraine flew in from Brisbane) and was well attended by almost 200 young people. The inaugural Brite Ball, was the first ever pride event for the region and offered young people a safe, supportive and inclusive space to “celebrate all colours of the…
Working at headspace as an access, intake and community engagement officer, Laura hears first hand what our young people are facing. “ This year, we are seeing a marked rise in anxiety and school disengagement with young people reporting feeling anxious, unsupported, or disconnected at/with school. Unfortunately for many this also means isolation from their social circles resulting in, low moods and motivation, unemployment and further mental health challenges. “ I was kicked out of home and my parents were…
Brenda is a young single 24 yr old woman who, until early this year, lived in a situation of extreme family violence. She was homeless, following years of physical, psychological, and financial abuse which led her to fleeing the family home. Brenda suffered significant emotional and mental distress by carrying the financial burden of fraudulent debt taken out in her name without her knowledge, and as a joint borrower on a loan she was forced to sign under duress. Once…
Tom* was a 17yr old who fled from home after a serious physical altercation with his dad. He was diagnosed with mental health concerns including depression and anxiety and although enrolled in year 11, was totally disengaged from school and learning. Tom had difficulty engaging in social situations, struggled in groups and found it difficult to trust people as a whole. Although Tom had some contact with his mother, he felt emotional distress around his family dynamic and living situation…
After experiencing a family breakdown, Bianca, 16yrs was referred to Youturn’s crisis accommodation program. At our Golden Beach House, Bianca was able to find some stability and security, which she had not experienced in a long time. During her time in our program Bianca worked part time and then decided she was ready to study, she enrolled in a Child Care Course and commenced placement. Following some health issues, Bianca’s study was put on hold for a little while, allowing…
Noah first came into Youturn’s residential care program as a 14 years old. Prior to this, he had experienced a childhood filled with trauma, rejection and homelessness. He asked the Department of Child Safety for support in a residential care house that could provide him with these unmet needs. The structure and stability within the program allowed Noah to thrive and heal, as he re-engaged in school and reconnected with his culture and family. After 2 ½ years, his skills,…
Meet Teddy… a cuddly, soft, friendly, but very BIG lad who was adopted by our Youturn Child Safety Team. Although Teddy does not say very much, it was decided that he would be the perfect companion for two young boys who have been very sad, confused and frustrated! When Teddy first met his new friends, they were a bit aggressive with him and started wrestling and punching him. Teddy didn’t like that - in fact Teddy preferred to be their…
Urban Art Project to help Connect Community And Support Young Men’s Mental Health
One in seven young men aged between 16 and 24 experience depression or anxiety each year - yet a meagre 13% seek help. Furthermore, suicide is the leading cause of death for young men in Australia. This week, 6 October was headspace Day - a National Day of Support for the mental health and wellbeing of all young Australians. And this year we urge young people in our region to start taking small, everyday steps to support their mental health…
Youturn Youth Support’s Board of Directors, is very pleased to announce the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tanya Bell, with effect from Monday, 4th October 2021. Bell replaces Andrew Anderson who departed the organisation at the end of June, to pursue a new opportunity in Sydney. “Following a rigorous and competitive selection process in which both external and internal candidates were assessed for the role, we are particularly pleased that this has resulted in the appointment of…
The Building of our Tiny Homes – Follow our Journey
Over the past year, since launching our “Big Hearts for Tiny Homes” initiative to tackle youth homelessness on the Sunshine Coast by building Tiny Homes for those young people transitioning from crisis accommodation towards independent living, we have some exciting news to share! With the awesome support of our generous partners, we have managed to raise enough to build our first TWO tiny homes! The deposits have been paid and Aussie Tiny Houses have commenced with the builds, with an…
Aussie Tiny Houses, a local business with more than 35 years experience in the building and design industry, has made a generous contribution to Youturn’s “Big Hearts for Tiny Homes campaign, donating a cheque for $10,000 towards outfitting of the tiny homes. “One of our visions, when we opened our doors, was to be part of the solution to the current housing crisis we are living in at the moment. Homelessness is a complex issue with many factors contributing to…
We’re stoked to announce individuals, or teams, can now create personal fundraising pages on Youturn’s behalf, and share their page with friends, family and community members to collect donations towards our youth causes. Youturn’s Engagement and Donor Relations Manager, Susan Beaton, is calling on Youturn supporters to get behind this new initiative and in particular runner Riley O’Brien who is bravely breaking new ground for us. “Riley contacted us a couple of weeks ago to let us know he was participating…
Haymes Paint has got us covered by sponsoring Youturn’s planned community art projects, commencing with a ground mural and pathways project at Tewantin. The local paint company are kindly donating 20 litres of paint to brighten up our front façade, pathways and fence line, with Oldfields supplying rollers and brushes to our community artists working with local professional artists. Urban street artist Sarah Sculley is leading a group of women and mothers from a Youturn holistic care program and together…
Our five headspace centres and their respective community networks in Maroochydore, Gympie, Caboolture, Toowoomba and Bundaberg, have participated in the annual Push Up Challenge 1-25 June. The fundraiser is Australia's largest mental health and fitness initiative, with over 130,000 Australians from all walks of life joining the push for better which injects over $25,000 into our five (5) Youturn run headspace centre operations explains Nicholas Fawcett, Youturn’s General Manager Clinical Services. “headspace is a free service helping young people aged…
Unity Water and Noosa Council have partnered with Youturn to launch Fishin’ Mates, a program that will be delivered on the Noosa-Sunshine Coast waterways for young men to get outdoors and try fishing to reduce stress, connect to other people and with nature. Prompted by the low level of help-seeking by men and a higher incidence of psychological distress and male suicide, Fishin’ Mates is an alternative mental wellness activity just for young men providing a less formal outdoor option…
Youturn’s ambassadors Tim and Sam Aitken from the band Sametime, came up with Youturn It Up!, a multi band, live music event that will be held on the main stage at NightQuarter, Birtinya to help raise funds for our Big Hearts for Tiny Homes campaign. The event was initially scheduled to be held in April, and then in June, but due to COVID and the temporary closure of Nightquarter, the unfortunate and difficult decision was made to delay the event…
Youturn hosts Toowoomba Community and updates guests on Exciting Developments
On the 9th of June this year, our Youturn leaders Andrew Anderson, Darce Foley and Tanya Bell, together with the Toowoomba team hosted an afternoon tea for partners and supporters to celebrate the official opening of our refreshed Hume Street centre. During Homelessness week 2020, Youturn announced a significant capital investment of $400,000 to establish new transitional housing for young people in Toowoomba and addressing guests at the gathering CEO Andrew Anderson provided an update. “Youturn is working closely with…
Over three weeks in March this year, the five White’s IGA stores on the Sunshine Coast ran a very successful instore promotion to raise funds for Youturn’s Tiny Homes initiative, to support young people experiencing homelessness. Tellers sold our cool, colourful wristbands and stickers in the shape of “little bricks” to support the fundraising efforts explained Youturn’s Marketing, Media & Events Manager Antoinette Lloyd. “Two dollars bought you a brick which supporters put their name on, and then displayed on…
St Stephens Church unwavering support for Gateway House youth
The annual Theatre Rep Fundraiser hosted by St Stephens Church on behalf of Youturn’s Gateway House was limited to 100 persons this year due to Covid making it the hottest ticket in town! Entrenched in the Toowoomba community calendar, there was a rush for theatre tickets and those who got a seat enjoyed two short plays, written and produced by the local community - making great conversation following the performance! The theatre night is held in May with the funds…
Waves Of Kindness Supports “TINY HOMES” with Generous Donation
Youturn Youth Support is very excited to announce that following a generous donation made by the Buderim Foundation / Thompsons Fund to support our Big Hearts for Tiny Homes campaign, Waves of Kindness have followed this with another significant donation of $50,000! "Waves of Kindness are really proud to be partnering with Youturn to facilitate this Big Hearts for Tiny Homes project. By collaborating with local councils and a myriad of local agencies, Waves of Kindness is able to assist…
Youturn Unveils New Community Spaces to Support Those Sleeping Rough
“For most people a morning shower is something you take for granted, but for someone living on the street or in a car, a simple warm shower and a place to wash their clothes can give them a little dignity and mean the world,” said Andrew Anderson, CEO of Youturn Youth Support. As part of the Queensland State Government’s Unite and Recover Stimulus Package in association with Noosa Council, Youturn is extremely pleased today to unveil the new modern and…
YOUTURN IT UP! CHARITY CONCERT IN SUPPORT OF YOUTH HOMELESSNESS
Amazing musical talents Tia Gostelow, Shag Rock, Sametime, Toxic Fox and more are coming together for a charity benefit concert for not-for-profit organisation Youturn Youth Support at the Sunshine Coast’s hottest new venue NightQuarter Saturday, 19 June 2021. The all-day multi-artist event Youturn IT UP! is the first in a series of benefit concerts to raise money for Sunshine Coast homeless youth and to support the music industry all for a good cause and a great time. Youturn Youth Support started 30 years ago, and works across Southern Queensland, in…
Dingira Warrai, meaning “sea dance” in Kabi Kabi language, is a surf wellness program commencing this week, to help children learn life-long skills, so they can thrive and apply them in tough times. Offered by Youturn Youth Support, 30 local children will be participating in a 7-week program, with the aim to blend traditional and contemporary Sunshine Coast culture and impart valuable knowledge on sustainability, community and health through feel-good surf dance lessons along Noosa beach. Children and…
“I don’t like Christmas” is an often enough spoken, but little heard sentiment since it goes against the popular grain. Instead, we tell people to get into the Christmas spirit, be jolly, give to others and be thankful. Not so easy if you do not have a job, finances are stretched and basic needs are too expensive, and border restrictions make connecting with friends and family difficult. In this year of disappointment, Christmas can be just another one to add…
YOUTURN AMBASSADORS DELIVER CHRISTMAS CHEER TO STRUGGLING LOCAL FAMILIES
Youturn Youth Support are excited and proud to announce their first official Ambassadors, Sam and Tim Aitken from Sametime, local talented musicians who grew up here on the Sunshine Coast. And putting the duo brothers to work today delivering Christmas gifts, hampers and some Christmas cheer to families in need, was the first order of business. Before heading off to deliver more presents, Tim Aitken commented: “What an awesome way to kick off our role as Ambassadors of Youturn, than…
Can Youturn Alice’s Christmas around and give her a break?
Alice* fell pregnant at 13 and now lives with her 6 year old daughter on the outskirts of Mooloolah in a caravan without running water, electricity or any basic comforts. Keeping a low profile and needing to constantly move, Alice is scared, desperate and fearful that the estranged father of her child, who was recently released from jail following a serious crime, is intent on taking their daughter. Traditionally Christmas is a time for giving, sharing and festivities but planning…
We put the call out to nearby businesses in Tewantin to join us to mark World Homelessness Day on 10 October and support our Big Hearts for Tiny Homes campaign. The result was a street overflowing with homelessness superheroes, hundreds of gold coin donations, and important conversation on supporting local need explains Susan Beaton, Youturn’s Engagement & Donor Relations Manager. “Our aim was to highlight that while we don’t see a lot of people sleeping rough in our streets, we…
To meet expanding support needs, Youturn will be upgrading our laundry and shower amenities at Tewantin with the generous backing of Noosa Council and Queensland Government funding, under their Unite and Recover plans. When many services were unable to provide support, and park / beach showers closed at the peak of COVID, Youturn stepped up to remain on the frontline and provided extra sanitised cleaning to ensure our amenities were safe for all users. Looking to the future, Youturn are…
The tough times of 2020 has brought out the best in many people. When normal trade for accommodation and restaurants stopped as a result of the COVID restrictions, many businesses were quick to direct their efforts to supporting people who were struggling. Youturn is extremely grateful to Flashpackers, Royal Mail, Villa Noosa and Anchor Motel for providing shelter to people experiencing homelessness during the COVID lock down whilst demand and occupancy was down. Similarly, the generosity of Good Shephard Lutheran…
This year Youturn is approaching Christmas giving a little differently, and we invite you to join us in giving a little, if you can. In 2021, we will be connecting families accessing Youturn support to Santa’s Classy Ladies - a dedicated group who fundraise year-round so children in need can enjoy Christmas. Youturn’s Natalie Clarke has seen first-hand the difference the Classy Ladies make to a struggling family. “Our families are dealing with big issues; domestic and family violence, mental…
Youturn has invited 500 children from six schools in the Noosa-Sunshine Coast region, to participate in an initiative, where we are encouraging the sharing of kindness in a painted rock treasure hunt. To involve the wider community, including our local schools and raise awareness of the work that Youturn does on the Sunshine Coast, Youturn has launched #YouturnRocks. The idea is based on painting smooth colourful rocks with positive or inspirational messages and then placing them in areas around the…
Youturn is excited to announce that we have signed up to partner with our local Bendigo Tewantin Noosa Community Bank Branch. As one of the big banks, Bendigo has a grassroots community focus and offer good old-fashioned customer service (in person). Not only do they give back and support the needs of locals, they also offer very competitive interest rates. Youturn’s Chairman Greg Livingstone said the partnership made perfect sense in terms of mutual values, goals and a local grass-roots…
Pictured is Darce Foley and Peregian Beach store customer - a local of 35 years Youturn Youth Support is shopping where the local’s shop, at our nearest IGA Supermarkets, with IGA gift cards now part of the support package for people accessing our emergency relief services. Each month, Youturn supports around 40 - 50 people in emergency relief to help meet their basic living costs such as food, shelter, hygiene and transport. With the impacts of COVID increasing, so too…
Big Hearts needed for Tiny Homes this World Homelessness Day
On Sat, 10th of October 2020 people around the world will mark World Homeless Day to draw attention to the local needs of people experiencing homelessness and provide opportunities for communities to get involved in responding to homelessness. Sunshine Coast is a popular holiday destination, but a tough place to live for many young people to settle, due to extreme housing costs, low average wages, social housing shortage and high rental competition. Add to this, COVID-19 impacts of business closures, unemployment and health concerns,…
Youturn launches Big Hearts for Tiny Homes campaign
Youturn Youth Support (formerly United Synergies) has launched a campaign today, to establish Tiny Houses for young people in our community as they “transition” from crisis accommodation to independent living. Speaking at an event held in Tewantin, Andrew Anderson, CEO of Youturn said: “Like many other regions, homelessness is a problem in this community. Even before COVID-19, almost 120,000 people were homelessness in Australia every night and it is estimated that 25% of those are 12 – 24 years…
Youturn partners with Noosa Council to upgrade facilities
4 Aug 2020 As part of the $2 million State Government Unite and Recover Stimulus Package, Youturn is extremely pleased with the recent announcement by Noosa Council to invest in much needed improvements to amenities and grassroots type projects which in turn will provide tangible benefits to the community. One of the projects identified is a $60,000 upgrade of Youturn’s laundry, shower and toilet facilities to help the at risk, vulnerable and homeless in our local community. Youturn’s CEO,…
United Synergies has announced today that they will begin operating under their new name Youturn Youth Support. Addressing the community at a launch event on Tuesday, 4 August 2020 at their offices in Tewantin, CEO, Andrew Anderson said “Our humble beginnings as a not-for-profit organisation, supported just six homelessness youth back in 1989, and since then our organisation has grown and evolved to now annually supports over 6,000 people with services covering Child Safety, Homelessness, Mental Health and Suicide…
Karen and Tony Reeve’s daughter Kylie died by suicide in 2005. At the time the couple made contact with StandBy Support After Suicide seeking support for themselves and their family. StandBy visited the couple and listened to their story and provided them with practical assistance and information, however it was the emotional support they really appreciated. “We were so grateful for the immediate support but were also told what we can expect later on, and even today we reflect on conversations with StandBy to make sense of our emotional journey,” Karen said. The support provided by StandBy acknowledged and respected the personal differences and needs for both Karen…
Ord Minnett Sunshine Coast have helped more young people access best practice mental health services sooner by sponsoring a frontline worker at headspace Maroochydore, a local service operated by Youturn Youth Support. General Manager Clinical Services Nick Fawcett explains how the wealth management groups donation is being used to put people first to make a real social impact. “Through the generous donation, we’ve created a fixed term job opportunity in our access and intake team for a top performing social…
Fond childhood memories often include experiences made possible by our parents: a first pet, a family holiday or camping trip, learning how to swim or to drive a car, starting school in a brand new uniform, or dressed-up to the nines for school graduation. Seemingly simple, special moments. However, for children living in out of home care on Child Protection orders, these type of childhood experiences are harder to come by. This is when, the old adage “it takes a…
A lifetime devoted to humanitarian works, many local in his hometown of Nambour on the Sunshine Coast and others global as Rotary International President leading the eradication of polio disease world-wide, the late Sir Clem Renouf (1921 – 2020) certainly understood how to drive social change and create impact. Breaking the cycle of homelessness for example, needs a collaborative whole of community approach. From local government and industry to our community sector and citizens who can give a little, working…
Each year, for more than 30 years, a dedicated group of seniors from St Stephen’s Church Toowoomba host an event to fundraise for vulnerable young people in their community. Residents of Gateway House, a program of Youturn Youth Support, who are moving from homelessness towards independent living have been the lucky beneficiaries. Bruce and Sue Tyson (pictured) of St Stephens Church have been tireless supporters of Gateway House from day one, and now in their 80’s are advocates for local…
Our organisation is a company limited by guarantee. We are registered with the Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ACNC), classified a Public Benevolent Institution (PBI) with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status.
