Youth Support + Advocacy Service (YSAS)

Dave has felt like a youth worker since he was three, growing up with many foster brothers and sisters. He now works at our Residential Withdrawal Unit in Geelong. Read Dave's full story here -ysas.org.au/casestudy_post…

Last Friday, VAADA staff & Board visited Wanyanimbik Wayawan in Bendigo for a tour & lunch with @YSASVic, @MurrayPHN, @TSA_YouthVIC (Salvation Army), @MonashUni & others. Some of our team also explored the community hub Old Church on the Hill. Thanks to BCHS & OCOTH for hosting!

#InternationalOverdoseAwarenessDay is in one week. The theme for @OverdoseDay is #TogetherWeCan. We remember the people we have lost to overdose and are committed to reducing stigma together. 💜 #IOAD24 #EndOverdose

🚨 In Victoria, Outreach Workers are facing a critical legal hurdle when responding to overdoses. 💉 In the below article, @HRV_Aust @cohealth_au @Youth_Projects argue this rule risks lives and doesn't align with efforts to increase naloxone access. 👉 bit.ly/4fHNKPD

Children belong with our families and communities, not locked up behind bars. We denounce Premier Allan for breaking the promise to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 14 by 2027 in Victoria. #RaiseTheAge hrlc.org.au/news/2024/08/1…

Read our statement on the Allan’s Government decision to abandon raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14 ysas.org.au/news/children-…

We know first-hand that children involved in the justice system have often been exposed to extreme adversity, involving violence and trauma. The answer to youth crime is a justice system that responds to this adversity, it is never putting more children in jail. #RaiseTheAge

Our recent survey found that 60% of people concerned about loved one's AOD use don't know how to help. Our CEO @erinlalor emphasises the need to reduce barriers for seeking support. Learn more here brnw.ch/21wLcQy via @abcnews

We, the Victorian justice sector and our allies, urge the Allan Labor Government to hear our calls for a Youth Justice Bill that supports children to thrive. It's time to get youth justice right. #GettingYJRight #SpringSt

A Bill to make Victoria's youth justice system fairer and ultimately boost community safety has passed the Lower House of the Victorian Parliament. This is a big first step. Next: the Upper House, where we hope the Bill will be further strengthened before being passed into law.

Keeping 10 to 14 year olds out of jail and away from contact with the police is a no-brainer if the government is serious about reducing youth crime in the long run. Read our joint media release⬇️

Working with young people and would like to enhance your practice with inclusive and intersectional AOD approaches? Join us at The Zone's Intersectional AOD Practice Symposium on the 17th of July! Book your FREE ticket - thezone.org.au/symposium/

Pill testing will be trialled in Victoria! This is a good, common-sense (and long overdue) announcement. Well done Premier for listening to the evidence on this one. Pill testing saves lives & it saves young peoples’ lives. That’s why the Greens have been pushing for it.

@TimRRead And last year - Greens MP @AivGoesGreen and other crossbenchers Georgie Purcell & Rachel Payne re-introduced this Bill & carried on the fight for pill testing. Huge thanks to all those who have pushed for this, for years. Finally, a win! beat.com.au/music-festival…

After years and years of pressure from the Greens, the progressive crossbench, the experts, the community...

This is a big deal: Victoria will begin pill testing next summer. This move comes after years of pressure from @VictorianGreens, the progressive crossbench, experts and the community. This will save lives. theage.com.au/national/victo…

We did it! Vic is set to get pill testing 🎉 Here’s what we know: 👉pill testing will be permanent in Vic after trial 👉mobile service will start this summer & be at 10 festivals 👉a fixed-site clinic will open in 2025 instagram.com/reel/C8q4abjPC…

Join us at The Zone's Intersectional AOD Practice Symposium NEXT month! Explore evidence on 'intersectional practice' & learn effective tools to better address the needs of marginalised populations and reduce harm related to alcohol & other drugs. thezone.org.au/symposium/

Great to see the Vic Government considering pill testing & working with sector orgs inc. @VAADAENEWS & us. Yesterday's story below, featuring comments from our Acting Executive Clinical Director, @SArunogiri. theage.com.au/national/victo…

YSAS Dandenong is set to lose two frontline workers in the Youth Support Service funding cuts. "We’re talking about 80-plus young people and families impacted in our region alone.....young people who will ultimately be losing out on crucial support" ⬇️ dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/news/2024-05-3…