The Youth Coalition represents and advocates for young people in the ACT and those that work with them. We have completed an analysis of this year’s ACT Budget to assess: What’s in it for young people?
The 2025-26 ACT Budget features several initiatives for young people, ranging from youth mental health to educational supports. We welcome these high-level initiatives, which include:
- Continued support for mental health and other youth services
- Education supports
- Apprenticeships and Trades support
- More support for out-of-home care
- Supporting frontline family, domestic, and sexual violence services
Our analysis of the Budget also identifies gaps that require greater consideration from government, while understanding that it has been constrained by prior injections of funds into the ACT health system.
For our in-depth analysis of the ACT Budget and an exhaustive summary of new funding announcements for young people, please read our full response by visiting the link below.
Areas that need more investment
Canberra Health Services
- CAMHS services on the Northside, to meet increased demand
- CAMHS services for young people aged 18-25, as part of the nation-wide advocacy for greater age harmonisation.
- Review of Flexible Education Program and Muliyan infrastructure, especially in the context of MACR.
- Youth homelessness system mapping and planning, following the 2023-24 sub-sector Commissioning in which new gaps emerged within the youth homelessness system.
- Planning for the development of a Youth Strategy that is co-designed with young people and youth services, as one of ACT Labor’s election commitments.
- Comprehensive review of the Mental Health Act 2015, which has a high level of interest among the community, and may be pursued in a manner similar to the review of the Children and Young People Act 2008.
- Removal of the fee for WWVP volunteer registration, as it acts as a disincentive and barrier to young people volunteering. [We note that this has subsequently been withdrawn as an ACT Budget initiative.]
