Youth Networks

Willoughby Youth Services created this group to address gaps in youth employment support (aged 15-24) across Northern Sydney. This group has grown and now includes over 30 youth employment support services across Northern Sydney including TAFE, Macquarie Uni, Salvation Army, Mission Australia, Apprenticeships Australia and many more. 

In 2020, we surveyed young people across North Sydney which identified five categories of support requested: jobs skills, job opportunities, career conversations, access to youth employment support, and awareness of worker’s rights. 

In 2022, we partnered with Brett Carter Events to provide a series of 8 employment workshops which were delivered by local employment service providers alongside the Apprenticeship and Traineeship Expo at Chatswood Library. 

We offer employment courses every school holidays that are 50% subsidised to support young people to access training certification. These have included; First Aid, Youth Mental Health First Aid, Responsible Service of Alcohol, and coming up next in January, Barista Training.

Youth Services have developed a Youth Services in Schools Guide for local schools which contains a list of local youth support services and information about how services can support students in schools. Some examples include: outreach housing and mental health case management, resilience and life skills programs, information workshops and more.

Youth Services offer an advice and referral service to local schools regarding wellbeing program needs who can either help co-design a collaborative support solution or refer them to a support service who can.

If you would like to request a copy of the Youth Services in Schools Guide or discuss your schools needs, please email: youth@willoughby.nsw.gov.au

In 2021, we launched Mates, dates and everything in-between, a youth-produced podcast series that ignites conversations among young adults around domestic abuse in a relatable and engaging way. Young adults interested in producing podcasts were invited to apply for a paid position to help bring this idea to life. Over a series of 16 workshops, successful applicants learned the foundations of domestic abuse awareness, explored podcast concepts and themes with NSHP Youth Consultants, local youth advisory groups and other young people, as well as developed podcast production skills as they created a 6 episode podcast series.

Workshops were co-led by working group members and a seasoned podcast expert, as well as supported by a domestic violence counsellor.

The podcast is now available on popular podcast platforms and promoted to young adults across Northern Sydney.

This project was initiated in response to anecdotal reports from Northern Sydney services of an increase in young people experiencing intimate partner or family abuse. Intimate partner violence remains a leading contributor of death, injury and illness among Australian women aged 18-44.

Led by the Northern Sydney Youth Relationship and Family Abuse Working Group which includes representatives from Northern Sydney Local Health District (Health Promotion Service, Child Protection Service, Sexual Assault Service), North Sydney Council, Willoughby City Council, NSW Department of Communities and Justice and the Lower North Shore Domestic Violence Network.