An innovative youth campaign is ramping up again in 2026, with a focus on encouraging peer-to-peer support around mental health, alcohol and other drugs issues.
Turn on the Light, the Youth Solutions’ partner campaign with Campbelltown Catholic Club, started rolling out in the past few days.
The campaign goals are to foster a community where help-seeking is stigma-free, to create connection to support and information services and to equip young people to better support each other around drug and alcohol issues.
Turn on the Light particularly seeks to engage with young people engaged in tertiary education settings, running alongside Youth Solutions’ Health Pro+ Project, which is also supported and funded by Campbelltown Catholic Club.
Health Pro+ sees Youth Solutions deliver workshop series to bolster the knowledge, skills, understanding and connections of emerging professionals – studying in medical, health, youth and community service fields – so they can provide young people with great care and support around drug, alcohol and wellbeing issues.
Youth Solutions chief executive officer Geraldine Dean, said the rollout of the Turn on the Light campaign would again shed light on important issues for young people.
“Turn on the Light harnesses the collective power of information, support and connection to ‘Turn on the Light in the darkness’ for youth drug, alcohol and wellbeing issues,” Mrs Dean said.
“This campaign aims to practically help young people support one another and help the community support young people around drug, alcohol and wellbeing issues.
“It seeks to build understanding and empathy.
“I encourage all members of our community to check it out and to do your bit to challenge stigma, choose support and champion change.”
Campbelltown Catholic Club CEO Michael Lavorato said the club was proud to continue its longstanding partnership with Youth Solutions.