The newly renamed ‘Beaches Youth Hub’, formerly Avalon Youth Hub, was launched in its new space at the Avalon Recreation Centre, Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach last month, on September 18, 2024.
In May this year, Northern Beaches Council endorsed the development for the Hub, offering it the former Avalon Customer Contact Centre, enabling the expansion of its services and the provision of additional support to tackle the challenges faced by young people. The space has since been refurbished and renovated.
What is the Beaches Youth Hub?
It is a community service destination with its goal being to provide a range of free wellbeing services to young people aged 12-24 in the Pittwater region of the Northern Beaches.
It’s a successful collaboration of support services, with Burdekin as the lead agency. The service providers work together to make a difference to the mental health and wellbeing of young people, providing free one-on-one counselling, case management and mentoring, advice, referrals and general support to young people.
Mental health services are provided by KYDS, Mission Australia Northern Sydney, SDECC (Sydney Drug Education and Counselling Centre), headspace Brookvale, Lifeline Northern Beaches and Burdekin.
Why the re-brand?
The Youth Hub was originally opened in 2018, following a spate of teen suicides. Having demonstrated success in supporting the mental health of young people and reducing the incidence of suicide, the rebranding to Beaches Youth Hub will allow it to expand its footprint across Pittwater.
Launch Event
Over 50 people attended the launch event, with Northern Beaches Council (represented by Kylie Walsh – Executive Manager of Arts and Culture), Jacqui Scruby – Teal Independent candidate for Pittwater, Georgia Ryburn – Former Deputy Mayor and Liberal candidate for Pittwater, and Dr Sophie Scamps – Federal MP for Mackellar.
“The new Beaches Youth Hub represents hope and support for so many. With this larger space and enhanced resources, we can do even more to address the unique mental health challenges faced by young people. Whether through one-on-one counselling or group activities, we’re committed to providing a safe, inclusive environment.”
Nelly Martin, Community Engagement Officer at Beaches Youth Hub
“It has been my absolute privilege to be part of the Avalon Youth Hub for the past five years. It’s a wonderful community. And, I just feel really privileged.
My part in this afternoon’s launch is to talk about the service partners who deliver counselling here for us – they’re so important and we couldn’t do it without them. There have been partner agencies from the beginning – including KYDS and Mission Australia. And, we have some new partners here too – SDECC – Sydney Drug and Education Counselling Centre – and it’s great to have them and Lifeline Northern Beaches returning.”
The Beaches Youth Hub is located at the Avalon Recreation Centre building at 59 Old Barrenjoey Road, Avalon Beach.
The new operating location will allow the Beaches Youth Hub to extend its opening hours, which are currently: Monday 9.00am to 5.00pm, Tuesday to Thursday afternoons 1.00pm to 5.00pm, and Friday 10.00am to 3.00pm. Drop-in visitors are welcome, or phone 0487 936 875.
To discover more about Beaches Youth Hub, click here.
If you’re reading this, you are most likely someone who already knows why giving back matters and you most likely share our concern about social issues, including youth homelessness, and may want to do something about it. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and it is difficult to know where to start.
Many, rightly believe, that it is our moral obligation to look after those less fortunate in society. But, did you know that people who give back tend to be happier, healthier and live longer?
“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
Chinese proverb
The power of giving back
Volunteering your time, energy, attention, expertise and financial assistance doesn’t just make the world a better place, it also makes you better as a person. You could be the most successful person in the world, but what does it mean if we don’t use it to make a difference and share with others? True fulfillment in life comes from lifting each other up.
In times of uncertainty, nurturing empathy and kindness buffer us from the various negative narratives around us. In fact, being kind and altruistic can offer a solution to many of the problems we face as a society.
Kindness: The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. From a survival point of view, kindness makes sense – we have evolved to understand that kindness and cooperation means inclusion and safety.
Empathy: Humans are hard-wired for empathy. It helps us to connect with and respond to our babies, but it is also a skill that develops over time and is why, perhaps, some people are more empathetic than others.
Kindness and empathy are good for us as a species and because of this, we intuitively know that our happiness depends on the happiness of others.
Altruism: True altruism is the unselfish concern for other people, doing things out of a desire to help, not because you feel obligated to out of duty, loyalty, or religious reasons. Altruism is about reducing another’s suffering, without expecting anything in return.
Kindness is contagious: If you dropped a single pebble into still water, the water would ripple outward in widening circles. Kindness contagion is much like the ripple effect of the pebble and the water. Even just witnessing an act of kindness motivates us towards acts of kindness ourselves.
The ripple effect of giving.
Health benefits of giving
‘Helpers high’ refers to the feel-good chemicals our body releases when we do something good – release endorphins (oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine) – that make us feel good and therefore are ways of supporting our own wellbeing too.
As mentioned, we have evolved to understand that acts of kindness and altruism improve wellbeing and foster social connections – making us both personally happier and stronger and more resilient as a community. Doing good, makes you feel good, and because it is contagious, we do more good.
Wellbeing: Small and large acts of kindness help reduce stress, depression, anxiety and loneliness and increases our levels of life satisfaction, happiness and self-esteem, diverting our attention away from ourselves, giving us a sense of purpose. We can have all the success in the world, but if we don’t share the success with others – what does it matter? We need a community to belong to – something that is bigger than us.
Physical health: Giving back may also improve our physical health by lowering blood pressure, strengthening our immune system, staving off disease and lowering cortisol levels. Ultimately, helping us to live longer, happier, healthier lives!
Sometimes we will never know the impact we have had on someone’s life – so, do it anyway.
You might never know how much your support means to someone.
Ways to give back:
Give time: get hands-on, we are always looking for volunteers to help us make a difference.
Expertise: do you have a special skill or service that could help us? Get in touch.
Partner: would you like to partner with us to solve youth homelessness?
Be a carer:Burdekin foster carers, care for children and young people in a variety of settings.
The Hon. Clare O’Neill launched Homelessness Week this week for Homelessness Australia, the national peak body for homelessness in Australia. She emphasised the significance of her new role, as Federal Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness.
“Housing and homelessness are critical areas. We face a housing supply crisis, a housing affordability crisis, and a housing construction crisis. These issues are not just about infrastructure; housing is the foundation of life for every citizen. The current crisis affects the legitimate expectations of young people and highlights the disparities in wealth distribution. Addressing homelessness will be a pivotal part of my work in this portfolio.”
Clare O’Neill, Federal Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness
Clare O’Neill, Federal Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness
“The current crisis we are experiencing in this country is feeding into the homeless in this country. There is no distinction between the big problems we are having in the commercial market and the people experiencing homelessness.”
“All of the workers that I have spoken to about this issue, they have advised that they are seeing people coming into homelessness services who would never have come through the door 10 years ago.”
Anne Hollonds, Australian National Children’s Commissioner was also a keynote speaker at the launch of Homelessness Week.
“We’ve all enjoyed seeing Australia’s medal tally in the 2024 Olympics. But, on child wellbeing, we rank a low 32nd out of 38 OECD countries on child wellbeing, right near the bottom. And, that’s just one indicator that we’re failing on when it comes to children’s policy.”
“We saw last week, the Productivity Commission saying that we’re going backwards on key indicators for children. We saw the Mission Australia Survey last week showing that not only are there high rates of homelessness, but two out of five young people had missed out on the basics such as housing, food, clothing, school and transport. The research today shows extraordinary numbers of children homeless, including unaccompanied children seeking help, but not getting the help that they need.”
Anne Hollonds, Australian National Children’s Commissioner
Anne Hollonds, Australian National Children’s Commissioner
“Poverty is a key part of this story, along with other complex needs, like mental health issues, disabilities, learning problems and of course child maltreatment. Stable housing is a core anchor point from which everything to meet the needs of children hangs. As National Children’s Commissioner, my focus is on the human rights of children and young people. Housing is a human right of children under Article 27 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, which Australia signed in 1990.”
“When asked about what ‘home’ means, children will often talk about the concept of home – stability and security of their most important relationships, especially in the family. This is where safe and stable housing comes in. It is the foundation for the conditions that enable the child to get their needs met, especially through family relationships and through the local community that they’re living in – friends and teachers at school, and community activities, like sport. In contrast, the transient and marginalised life that homelessness brings, serves to rob the child not only of a roof over their head, the stable relationships that they need for their health, learning development and wellbeing.”
“Domestic family and sexual violence (DFSV) plays a key role in homelessness. As we now understand, it is much more prevalent than we first thought. Unfortunately, children as victim survivors of DFSV have largely been overlooked in child policy, despite the fact that the groundbreaking Australian Child Maltreatment Study showed that DFSV is the most common form of child maltreatment and it usually goes together with other forms of child maltreatment. Over 62 per cent of Australians have suffered one or more form of child maltreatment, much more than we thought.”
At Burdekin, we believe in the power of community and the impact of collective effort. Recently, we experienced a great example of this when the amazing team of 60 Ben & Jerry’s volunteers from all across Australia and New Zealand joined us for their Community Volunteer Day. Their hard work and dedication made a significant difference in the lives of the young people we support. We couldn’t be more grateful.
Transforming homes, one brushstroke at a time
In the Inner West, the Ben & Jerry’s volunteers rolled up their sleeves and got to work on one of our properties, making it feel like a true home for the two young people in our care. From assembling furniture, painting walls, relaying pavers and sprucing the garden, their efforts have transformed the space, creating a warm and welcoming environment.
Bringing New Life to Our Gardens
On the Northern Beaches, the Ben & Jerry’s crew tackled the overgrown garden with enthusiasm and energy. They weeded, planted mature trees, laid down mulch in the garden beds, created a herb garden, sanded and painted outdoor garden furniture and assembled a lovely outdoor garden setting. Thanks to their hard work, the outdoor space now looks inviting and beautiful – a perfect place for the young residents to relax and feel at home.
Supporting Young People on their Journey to Adulthood
Both of these properties are currently home to young people aged 16 and 17 who are in the process of leaving supported care and transitioning into independent living and adulthood. These young individuals aren’t completely ready to be independent, and having a supportive, nurturing environment is crucial. The efforts of Ben & Jerry’s staff and volunteers have enhanced these spaces, making them better places for these young people to continue receiving the support they need.
Celebrating a Meaningful Partnership
Burdekin is immensely grateful for the partnership we have with Ben & Jerry’s. Their volunteer work has improved our properties and shown the young people in our care that they are valued and supported by their community.
Together, we can continue to empower young lives and build a brighter future for everyone.
To read more about volunteering opportunities with Burdekin, click here.
We are thrilled to announce that Year 10 students from Balgowlah Boys High School recently joined The Burdekin Association’s B A GameChanger Peer Education Program focused on gaming and gambling.
Our comprehensive full-day training workshop provided students with crucial insights into the normalisation of gambling among young people, particularly those under 18. They learned to navigate the challenging pathways to responsible gaming and gambling.
The workshop highlighted the potential harm of gaming dependency and demonstrated strategies for balancing gaming with a healthy lifestyle. Students were equipped with knowledge about risk and protective factors, and fostering resilience to cope with life’s stresses.
This initiative, part of the Dee Why Project and funded by the Office of Responsible Gambling NSW, aims to develop a comprehensive gambling, gaming, education, and prevention awareness program for the Northern Beaches community.
This program has given The Burdekin Association a valuable opportunity to address the concerning issues of gambling and gaming, making a positive difference for a wide range of participants. We are committed to creating a safer and more informed community for all young people.
The Year 10 students brainstorming during the workshop.
Peer Education Program workshop
The Year 10 students explored the social pressures young people face around gambling and micro transactions in gaming, like loot boxes. Loot boxes are common in best-selling video games and are of growing concern. They are mystery bundles of virtual items and can be won by a gamer as a reward or can be purchased with real money. They have attracted controversy, as they can expose young people to gambling through the randomised ‘lucky dip’ chance involved in what the user will receive in their loot box. Loot boxes differ from other in-app or in-game purchases because the contents of the loot box are unknown before they are purchased.
Chris Davidson, a Gambling Counsellor with over 20 years’ experience at GambleAware gave an interactive presentation to the Year 10 students, discussed how the brain’s wiring works and how gambling and gaming engage the emotional and reactive parts of the brain, causing a compulsive behaviour pattern to emerge.
During the workshop, the young people climbed a 13-metre solitary pole and stepped out into the open air for a fast three-second drop to the ground. The drop pole experience demonstrated an instant hit of dopamine and adrenaline, the same experience that young people undergo when gaming or gambling. It also gave the participants the opportunity to understand what’s involved in calculated risk taking. This experience coincided with an interactive brainstorm activity to gain a further understanding of the importance of building resilience to protect from stressors in their lives.
Chris Davidson presenting the ‘brain wiring of compulsive behaviour to the Year 10 students.
Behaviours associated with gambling and gaming:
During the workshop, the Year 10 students identified how gambling and gaming addiction can affect young people’s behaviours, including:
Development of impulsive behaviour
Loss of money
Gambling as a normalised activity, as gaming and gambling are portrayed as a young person’s ‘culture’ or ‘lad culture’
‘Winning is easy’ type behaviour
Risk factors associated with gambling and gaming:
Some of the identified risk factors associated with gambling and gaming addiction discovered during the workshop, includes:
Poor nutrition / diet
Lack of sleep
Perfectionism
Low mood / energy
Procrastination
Boredom
Experimentation with drugs
Alcohol consumption
Toxic relationships
Over-spending
Gambling
Having cash available
Year 10 student presenting the risk factors association with online gambling.
The Benefits of Peer Education
Peer educators are an incredible and influential source of information, and they can empower other young people to become positively involved and learn. Young people often identify with each other and through the Peer Education Program can utilise an already established supportive network, to learn more about other services in the community. Fundamentally, peer educators are role models and can support their peers to make better informed decisions.
Identifying Risk and Protective Factors, to help make informed choices
During the workshop, Year 10 students were introduced to ‘Protective Factors’—essential strategies for staying safe and making smart choices regarding gaming and gambling. Think of these protective factors as a team of bodyguards, enhancing the students’ defences against risky behaviours. The more protective factors they possess, the stronger their ability to resist harmful influences.
In the workshop, peer educators provided valuable insights into:
Calculated risks – understanding the balance between risk and reward.
Learning from mistakes – emphasising the importance of reflection and growth.
Problem solving – developing strategies to navigate challenges.
Risk management – weighing options to make the safest, best-informed decisions.
By drawing parallels between outdoor activities and gambling, students gained a deeper understanding of risk-taking behaviours. This analogy underscores the importance of making informed decisions in all aspects of life.
Through this engaging and educational approach, The Year 10 participants learned how to build resilience and make choices that are right for them, ensuring they are better prepared to handle the complexities of gaming and gambling.
Protective Factors
Peer Educators were able to work through protective factors and how they could apply them to their everyday lives they identified:
School/work – time management skills, developing effective time management can help them prioritise tasks, allocate time for study and reduce the last minute rush, lowering stress levels.
Setting realistic goals.
Establishing boundaries – setting healthy boundaries can prevent conflicts and misunderstandings.
Building a supportive network.
Regular exercise, and healthy eating and sleeping habits
Practising self-care – prioritising activities, including activities that bring fun and fill their energy levels and improve their mental wellbeing.
Online social connections – online gaming communities can serve as sources of support, and friendship, which can mitigate feelings of loneliness and provide emotional support.
Building Resilience
Another of the Peer Education Project aims is to increase the resilience of participating young people, helping them to bounce back from setbacks, adapt to change and thrive in adversity. For the young people involved in the program, it’s about maintaining a positive mindset, managing their stress and leveraging strengths and resources to overcome challenges.
To find out further information on gaming and gambling click here.
And, to see a related blog post on The Burdekin Association’s Peer Education Programs, click here.
We acknowledge the Aboriginal people of the Cadigal and Gayamaygal Clans. We acknowledge the Country on which we live, work, and gather as being Aboriginal land.
We acknowledge the lands, waterways and skies that are connected to Aboriginal people. We honour them and pay our deepest respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
We respect their rightful place within our communities, and we value their ancient cultural knowledge and practices.
We deeply respect that this will always be Aboriginal land and we will honour and follow the first peoples’ values in caring for the Country and for preserving their culture.
We deeply value that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the oldest living culture in the world and we will continue to work with their peoples and communities to ensure their cultures endure and remain strong.
