Youth Support and Advocacy Service

What Youth Support and Advocacy Service does

Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS) is a non-profit community service organisation founded in late 1997 and operational from 1998, headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria. It delivers youth-specific alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment, mental health, harm reduction and crime prevention services to Victorians aged 10-25, operating 19 sites across the state plus a North Queensland Youth AOD partnership. Service modalities include residential withdrawal (Fitzroy and Geelong), residential rehabilitation (Birribi), outreach, day programs, home-based withdrawal nursing, telephone advice via YoDAA, headspace mental health centres (Collingwood, Frankston, Rosebud), the Victorian Pill Testing Service, and crime prevention programs (YSS, PIVOT, EYOP). The organisation employs 380-400+ specialist staff and is led by CEO Andrew Bruun, who has been with YSAS since inception.

YSAS operates a free-to-client, government-funded revenue model with three streams: (1) primary funding from Victorian State Government departments and federally funded Primary Health Services for ongoing AOD, mental health, headspace and crime prevention contracts; (2) tax-deductible donations and philanthropy, including the febfast fundraising campaign run annually since 2005; and (3) fee-for-service training delivered to government agencies, councils and schools on youth AOD practice. All client-facing services are provided free of charge to young people. The 2024 Victorian State Budget committed $9.6 million over two years to the Victorian Pill Testing Service, a consortium-led drug-checking operation.

The underlying practice platform is the proprietary Resilience-Based Practice Framework, a person-centred, trauma-responsive model structured around five domains (safety, stability, connections, participation, identity and agency) and supported by the Lived and Living Experience Workforce Framework. A confidential YSAS Client Information System captures practitioner-level data on youth and family needs for internal analysis. Distribution is direct-to-client via sites, outreach and the YoDAA phone line, with referrals sourced from Victoria Police, schools, health services, families and self-referrals.

Name

Youth Support and Advocacy Service

Legal name

Youth Support and Advocacy Service

Website

https://ysas.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

YSAS is a Melbourne-based non-profit operating 19 sites across Victoria that delivers free youth alcohol and other drug treatment, mental health (headspace), harm reduction and crime prevention services to people aged 10-25, funded primarily by the Victorian State Government and philanthropy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Community Health Services

NAICS

Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (62142), Child and Youth Services (62411), Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (623220)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE), Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM), Outpatient Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Programs (HLAFABAD), Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO)

Keywords

• Youth AOD services
• Mental health support
• Harm reduction
• Youth crime prevention
• Residential rehabilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Primary funding from Victorian State Government departments and federally funded Primary Health Services. This includes ongoing commitments for services like the Victorian Pill Testing Service ($9.6 million for two years), crime prevention programs, and youth AOD services.
2. Donations and Philanthropy: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations. Annual fundraising campaign through febfast since 2005. Major donors and philanthropic organizations contribute to specific programs and general operations.
3. Training Services: Revenue from providing training programs to government agencies, local councils, youth organisations, and schools on youth AOD practice.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

YSAS delivers free, youth-specific alcohol and other drug (AOD), mental health, and crime prevention services to young people aged 12–25 across 19 sites in Victoria, Australia. The portfolio includes the YoDAA advice line, residential withdrawal and rehabilitation, outreach, headspace mental health centres, harm reduction (Victorian Pill Testing Service), and youth justice diversion programs. Services are underpinned by the proprietary Resilience-Based Practice Framework and delivered by over 400 specialist staff.

Product overview

YSAS is a comprehensive youth-specific community service organization offering a portfolio of integrated programs and services rather than a single product. The core offerings include: (1) Youth AOD Services - YoDAA advice line, outreach, day programs, home-based withdrawal, and residential withdrawal/rehabilitation across multiple sites; (2) Mental Health Services - headspace centres providing integrated mental health, physical health, drug/alcohol and work/study support; (3) Crime Prevention Programs - Youth Support Service, PIVOT, Embedded Youth Outreach Program; (4) Harm Reduction - Victorian Pill Testing Service (mobile and fixed site); (5) Specialized Programs - The Zone, Third Place Hub, Youth Empowerment Project; (6) Training and Workforce Development. The portfolio includes residential services (Fitzroy, Geelong, Birribi), community-based outreach (19 sites across Victoria), and headspace centres (Frankston, Collingwood, Rosebud). Services operate as interconnected programs that share referral pathways, practitioner expertise, and organizational frameworks including the Resilience-Based Practice Framework and Lived and Living Experience Workforce Framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• YoDAA (Youth Drug and Alcohol Advice Line)
• Day Programs
• Outreach Services
• Home-based Withdrawal Nurse
• Residential Withdrawal Services
• Birribi Residential Rehabilitation
• headspace Frankston and Collingwood
• Victorian Pill Testing Service
• Youth Support Service (YSS)
• PIVOT Youth Crime Prevention Program
• Embedded Youth Outreach Program (EYOP)
• Youth Empowerment Project (YEP)
• Third Place Youth & Community Hub
• The Zone
• North Queensland Youth Alcohol + Other Drug Service
• Bunjilwarra Koori Youth Alcohol and Drug Healing Service
• YSAS Training

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000+ young people and families supported since inception
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Loop AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner operating the Victorian Pill Testing Service alongside YSAS, The Loop Australia provides drug checking expertise and harm reduction services.
• Harm Reduction VictoriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in the Victorian Pill Testing Service, contributing harm reduction expertise and advocacy.
• Youth ProjectscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in the Victorian Pill Testing Service, providing healthcare services.
• Melbourne HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner in the Victorian Pill Testing Service, providing medical/healthcare expertise.
• Metabolomics Australia (University of Melbourne)coreTechnology or IntegrationConsortium partner providing laboratory analysis technology for the Victorian Pill Testing Service to identify drug contents.
• headspacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYSAS is the lead agency for headspace Frankston and Collingwood, providing integrated mental health services for young people aged 12-25.
• Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Bunjilwarra Koori Youth Alcohol and Drug Healing Service, transitioning to VAHS leadership with ongoing YSAS involvement.
• The Zone Partnership (Drummond Street Services, Odyssey Victoria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership operating The Zone, an innovative AOD support program in Melbourne's North & West for young people and families, funded by North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network.
• cohealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Mobile Health Access Project (MHAP) providing mobile health services with youth workers and qualified nurse.
• PIVOT Partnership (Windana, Jesuit Social Services, Mission Australia, Kids First Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-agency partnership delivering the PIVOT Youth Crime Prevention Program in Dandenong, Casey, Frankston and Mornington Peninsula areas.
• Victoria PolicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Embedded Youth Outreach Program (EYOP) providing after-hours assertive outreach support for young people coming into contact with Police in Dandenong and Werribee.
• Ngwala Willumbong Aboriginal CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished the Koori Youth AOD Healing Service in 2008, precursor for Bunjilwarra service.
• North Queensland Youth Alcohol + Other Drug Service Partners (YETI, Gindaja Treatment and Healing Indigenous Corporation, Queensland Health, Education Queensland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCombined community-based and residential rehabilitation program for young people in North Queensland aged up to 25, with focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people.
• OrygencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership for the GRACE study exploring effects of extended-release guanfacine for young people with cannabis use, funded by Victorian Government.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Jesuit Social Services: Victoria-based nonprofit delivering youth justice, education, and mental health programs (including The Zone with YSAS). Comparable on operating model, government contracting, and youth at-risk population, but with a stronger justice and education focus than AOD.
• Drummond Street Services: Victorian family and youth counseling nonprofit operating The Zone partnership alongside YSAS. Adjacent peer in operating model and government funding, with focus on family therapy and LGBTIQA+ inclusion rather than primary AOD treatment.

Broad incumbents

• headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation: The national platform for youth mental health primary care. YSAS is a lead agency for headspace Collingwood, Frankston, and Rosebud, making headspace a hybrid of operating partner, funder (via PHNs), and national brand owner that competes for adjacent youth mental health work.
• Mission Australia: Large national nonprofit delivering youth homelessness, mental health, and AOD services including partnership in PIVOT alongside YSAS. Comparable on scale and federal/state funding model, though much broader in mission scope.
• Salvation Army Australia (AOD and Youth Services): Major national AOD, homelessness, and youth services operator through Crossroads and other programs. Comparable to YSAS on AOD treatment model and government contracting, but operates at substantially larger scale and across a much broader service mix.

Direct peers

• Odyssey House Victoria: A Victorian nonprofit providing residential and community AOD treatment across all ages. Directly comparable to YSAS on therapeutic community model, residential rehab, and government-funded AOD service delivery, though less youth-specialized.
• ReGen (Uniting Vic.Tas): Victorian AOD treatment provider within Uniting, delivering outpatient, withdrawal, and harm reduction services. Direct peer on outpatient SUD treatment model, Victorian government funding base, and harm reduction orientation.
• Ted Noffs Foundation: Australian youth-specific AOD and counseling organization operating residential and outreach programs. Closest peer to YSAS on age band (12-25), AOD focus, and holistic youth service model, with similar government and philanthropic funding mix.
• Windana Drug and Alcohol Recovery: Victorian therapeutic community providing AOD withdrawal, rehabilitation, and outreach. Direct peer on residential model and Victorian government funding base; YSAS is part of a consortium with Windana through the PIVOT partnership.

Regional players

• headspace Frankston / Collingwood / Rosebud (consortium model): Note: franchise-like headspace centres lead-agency-managed in Victoria's south-east and inner north. Comparable as youth mental health primary care delivery vehicles, though funded through PHNs rather than direct state government contracts in the same way as YSAS's core AOD services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Youth Support and Advocacy Service