Est. 1984

At Youth Projects, we are committed to breaking the cycle of disadvantage.

Youth Projects, founded in 1984, is an independent, registered charity that provides health, outreach, employment, education, and training services to individuals experiencing disadvantage including unemployment, homelessness, mental health challenges, and alcohol and other drug dependency.

Youth Projects operates under six domains of service: homelessness, primary health, mental health, alcohol and other drugs, employment and training, and social enterprise.

We are committed to breaking the cycle of disadvantage. For 40 years we have provided frontline support to young people and individuals experiencing disadvantage, unemployment, homelessness, and alcohol and other drug barriers. Recognising the complex and varying needs of the people we work with, we go above and beyond, 365 days a year, to provide pathways out of poverty. We see the whole person and meet them where they are at.

Comprised of a highly skilled multi-disciplinary team, we provide a complete wrap-around, judgement-free service with a strong focus on respect, client-centred care, and harm minimisation. The impact we seek enables each person to lead longer lives, have improved health, meaningful employment, and a greater sense of belonging, safety, and security through a holistic model of care.

We are not only changing lives, but saving lives.

From prevention to crisis response - We tackle the whole system

With a workforce of close to 170 people across the north, west, east, and inner suburbs of Melbourne, Youth Projects promotes inclusion, builds resilience, and creates opportunities by providing person-centred, holistic, and wrap-around services. Youth Projects programs and initiatives address the complex needs prevalent among disadvantaged people, with services that respond to the needs of our most vulnerable, including employment, education, training, healthcare, mobile outreach, mental health, harm reduction, and alcohol and other drug support.

Our ability to work in the upstream, preventative, and early intervention space, whilst also delivering downstream, unique, and tailored crisis responses, enables us to see the whole person. [CG1] We understand the driving factors of poverty and disadvantage and use theories of self-determination and trauma-informed practices to support those who have fallen through the cracks of the ‘system’.

 We focus on being both the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff helping those with critical and immediate needs, whilst building stronger and more efficient fences at the top of the cliff through our early intervention focus.  

If you love the work we do, consider paying it forward and donate today. All contributions help us reach more young people, and change more lives. 

If you are wondering how you can use your skills and expertise to create social good then you might just be the next changemaker or frontline warrior we are looking for. Check out our Careers page for opportunities.

Our MVV

We take our Mission, Vision and Values very seriously at Youth Projects. 

Our mission, vision and values are part of the fabric of our DNA. They describe the ethics and principles that are at the core of our work, inspire our workforce, and underpin our organisational impact.

They steer us through tough situations, and inspire our actions and resolve, and we don’t make any important business decisions without having our MVV in mind.

Our mission

We are on a mission to provide high impact support, without judgement, full stop.

Our vision

We strive to provide life changing opportunities for people accessing our services - breaking the cycle of disadvantage and enabling our services to:

• have improved health

• feel a greater sense of belonging, safety and security

• engage in meaningful employment

• are at decreased risk of homelessness, and, 

• lead longer, healthier lives

Our values

Our values are key to a collaborative, high impact culture, and underpin how we achieve our mission and strategic goals.

Inclusion

A culture that allows people accessing or collaborating with Youth Projects to be comfortable and confident to be themselves, have equitable access to opportunities and resources, and can contribute their perspectives and talents to improve outcomes.

Empowerment

Encouraging and enabling people to be creative, and take considered and balanced risks. The authority or power given to someone to do something to make them stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and rights.

Social Justice

All people should have equal access to health, wellbeing, justice, privileges, and opportunity regardless of their social, legal, political, economic or other circumstances.

Integrity

Being honest, having strong moral principles and being whole and undivided.

Respect

Having admiration or regard for each person accessing our services elicited by their abilities, qualities or achievements, and always treating others the way you want to be treated.

Courage

The power of one's strength to venture, preserve or withstand difficulty, fear or to go against the grain to perform an action or create change this is right or just.

Commitment

Always taking a collaborative approach and ensuring that every person accessing our services is taken on the journey of learning.

Would you like to see what that looks like in action and impact? Click here to check out our latest Impact Report.