Whether it’s supporting young carers, finding new homes for abandoned pets or offering crisis housing to women escaping violence, these three Aussie charities are making our world a better place.
Discover how you can make a difference and donate to these wonderful organisations.
Little Dreamers
Little Dreamers is a not-for-profit organisation supporting young people between the ages of 4 and 25 who provide unpaid care for a family member affected by disability, mental illness or substance use.
It’s estimated that 1 in 10 young Aussies are carers for a family member in need. Sadly, these young carers are two times more likely to disengage from work or study, and report higher rates of poverty, while 2 in 3 face mental health challenges.
In response to these statistics, Little Dreamers has developed a suite of online and in-person programmes targeting five main areas: education, employment, mental and physical health, social wellbeing, and financial literacy.
Big Dreamers is a five-month development program where young carers engage in monthly workshops, overnight retreats and mentoring sessions to build new skills and connect with others in similar situations. It was co-designed with young carers to ensure optimal success.
The Dream Experience program is another major initiative, seeking to celebrate young carers who are often overworked and undersupported. Whether it’s meeting a sports idol, attending a concert or taking a trip to a wildlife park, the Little Dreamers team organise a dream opportunity to acknowledge all of the young carers’ hard work.
Other charity initiatives include a counselling program using therapeutic approaches to help young people process complex emotions, manage stressful situations, and prioritise their overall wellbeing, and school holiday programs designed to offer a much-needed break. Young carers are invited to attend full-day sessions with trips to the movies, arts and craft workshops, theme parks, aquariums and more.
In 2024 alone, Little Dreamers provided 16,908 hours of support to 1,761 young carers across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
Lost Dogs Home
The Lost Dogs Home is an organisation dedicated to animal welfare. It takes in lost dogs, cats and other companion animals to offer shelter, veterinary care, adoption, foster and reunification services. Each year, the team provides care to more than 18,700 lost, stray and unwanted pets – that’s roughly 51 animals every day.
The charity’s major program is the Lost Dogs’ Home Vet Hospital, which provides a range of health services including routine checks, vaccinations, desexing and surgeries for pets. The dedicated shelter medicine team ensures animals in permanent care are well looked after, while the primary care team works with animals and their families.
The Home Together program delivers short-term support to pet owners experiencing hardship, ensuring that both humans and pets are safe. This can take the form of housing assistance for pet-friendly emergency shelters, navigating grants and loans, emergency pet care, or emotional support.
The Lost Dogs Home also provides digestible and accessible information about pet care, adoption, and behaviour management on its website. Animal training and consultations are available for new pet owners struggling to adjust, and the Adoption Ambassador Program is a first-of-its-kind initiative allowing people to adopt directly from specially trained foster carers to give pets a better chance of finding a forever home.
Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre
The Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre (WAGEC) is a grassroots feminist organisation supporting women and families in crisis. Each day, the centre provides care to 200 women and children impacted by homelessness, domestic violence or disadvantage through material aid, care management, accommodation and crisis response.
WAGEC operates short-term accommodation for women and families in Sydney, with 90 beds available on any given night. This includes 45 transitional properties for families and a 10-bed property for single women. Medium-term housing is also available for women and families who need a safe transitional space while getting back on their feet.
The charity focuses on crisis support for women, children and non-binary individuals with after-hours services available every day of the week. A series of more structured programs build on the strength and resilience of clients to end cycles of disadvantage and trauma in Australia.
The Access Program is a free scheme for women 18 years and older, either in person or online for six months. Participants are matched with a mentor for the duration of the program, who helps them to work towards long-term goals, including work, training and education.
The Helping Children Heal program offers tailored and free support to young people who have witnessed or been directly affected by abuse. Child specialists deliver a variety of therapeutic initiatives, including health care, psychology and learning support, while children recover. Kids can also complete online sessions to build self-esteem and confidence, and attend holiday programs to connect with other kids and find a sense of belonging.
Other WAGEC schemes include All In, a gender-based violence prevention program delivering tools and training to early childhood educators and primary prevention practitioners, and From Now, a new program offering stable housing to women exiting prison. WAGEC acknowledges that women exiting children, especially pregnant women and those with children, face significant adversity while trying to reintegrate. With intensive case management, education and employment pathways, the program helps incarcerated women get back on their feet.
Can’t get enough of these incredible Aussie charities? Check out more organisations that need your support here.