Charities in Australia support individuals in many different ways, targeting everything from loneliness to learning.
These three amazing organisations foster connection and improve overall wellbeing for people in need. Read on to discover how you can lend a helping hand.
Opening image: Student engagement program from Youth Up Front. Image: Youth Up Front.
Image: Youth Up Front.
Youth Up Front
Youth Up Front is a charity inspiring young people to build resilience and overcome adversity. Over the last 20 years, they have supported more than 100,000 students through educational and outreach programs, mentoring and personal development support.
The Skills for Life program identifies students at risk of disengaging from their learning, enrolling them in a weekly workshop where they can develop practical skills such as personal presentation, teamwork, budgeting, managing wellbeing and more. With 40 percent of Aussie students disengaged from their learning in some way, typically due to issues such as stress and mental health, the Skills for Life program can reignite a passion for development and keep young people looking towards the future.
Similarly, Youth Up Front’s employment and career programs help young people to develop a strong resume through work placement opportunities and professional insights from local businesses which can help inform future career decisions.
Youth Up Front is always hosting new events to engage with the community and spread its message.
A Hearing Assistance Dog in training. Image: ALHD.
Australian Lions Hearing Dogs
Australian Lions Hearing Dogs (ALHD) has been providing deaf and hearing-impaired Australians with free professionally trained Hearing Assistance Dogs for more than 40 years. Each dog is typically trained for 6-8 months before being placed in a new home. ALHD place a dog every two weeks, delivering more than 650 dogs since its inception.
Currently, one in six Australians are experiencing some form of hearing loss. Hearing dogs can improve day-to-day living, as well as providing comfort and emotional support. Having a hearing dog creates opportunities for social and community interaction, as well as increasing safety and promoting strong physical and mental health.
ALHD also places medical alert dogs with people living with chronic illnesses. They are primarily focused on supporting those with diabetes, training the dogs to alert their owner when blood glucose levels are outside the target range by touching them with one paw.
There are many ways to support the charity, including fostering a puppy until it is old enough to begin full-time training, or donating directly to the foundation.
A community engagement session in practice. Image: Little BIG Foundation.
Little BIG Foundation
Little BIG Foundation seeks to combat loneliness in Australia by creating opportunities for social interaction. The charity acknowledges the detrimental effects of loneliness, especially in a post-COVID age or when living in a big city, and strives to create opportunities to engage with neighbours and colleagues to facilitate connection.
Summer Hill House is the first residential community site, launched back in 2021. This safe space invites members of the community to make use of the kitchenette, bathrooms, open living spaces and library. Whether bringing work, playing board games or simply chatting, the house enables residents to find like-minded individuals and support their own wellbeing. Since starting the initiative, the residential project has found that 73 percent of people who attend events form a new relationship, and 44 percent of people interact more with their community since engaging with the initiative.
Similarly, the Good Work Program is the foundation’s office initiative, improving mental health outcomes by providing a space for workers to interact and unwind over a meal and a chat. Little BIG Foundation also puts on events such as mental health workshops and training classes. In fact, their volunteers run over 2000 events every year.
Loneliness is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, anxiety and depression, but Little BIG Foundation believes it is simple to prevent disconnection by offering opportunities for meaningful interaction wherever you find yourself.
For more insights into amazing Aussie organisations doing good, check out our charities page here.