Youturn Youth Support

What Youturn Youth Support does

Youturn Youth Support is an Australian not-for-profit company limited by guarantee that delivers youth-focused services across Child Safety, Homelessness, Mental Health, and Suicide Prevention. Founded in 1989 as the Noosa Accommodation Project and rebranded to its current name in August 2020 (previously United Synergies), the organisation is headquartered in Nambour, Queensland and operates from 14+ locations across Southern Queensland and South Australia, with national reach through the StandBy suicide postvention program covering Queensland, NSW, Victoria, South Australia, and the Northern Territory. As of FY2024-25 the organisation employs approximately 300 staff, serves 19,000+ people annually, and runs five headspace centres in Queensland and South Australia. Leadership comprises CEO James Blevin (current), with Board Chair Mitch Evans, and prior executive tenures held by Dr Tanya Bell (from October 2021) and Andrew Anderson.

The core service portfolio comprises government-contracted programmes including headspace primary mental health care for young people aged 12-25, child safety and out-of-home care placements, homelessness accommodation and support, the StandBy program supporting people bereaved by suicide (operating since 2002), and newer lines including YouConnect Gym, YouMatter wellbeing programs, and Tiny Homes housing infrastructure. The Edge of the Present VR initiative represents a partnership-based innovation in suicide prevention research with UNSW. The technical architecture is fundamentally a multi-site human services delivery operation rather than a software platform; value creation rests on clinical expertise, regulatory accreditations, and localised service delivery.

Youturn earns revenue primarily through federal and state government grants (federal Department of Social Services, Department of Health and Aged Care, state housing and child safety departments), supplemented by corporate partnerships, philanthropic donations, and the tax-deductible donation framework enabled by its PBI and DGR status. Services are delivered free at the point of use to clients (young people, families, and at-risk cohorts), meaning the "customer" in an economic sense is the government grant-maker rather than the service user. The organisation's growth over the period 2023-2025 has been funded through expanding existing programme contracts, winning new headspace centre licences (including new South Australia entries in 2025), and launching new programmatic lines rather than equity-based financing.

Name

Youturn Youth Support

Legal name

Youturn Limited

Website

https://youturn.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Youturn Youth Support is an Australian not-for-profit delivering child safety, homelessness, mental health, and suicide prevention services to at-risk young people and families across Queensland and South Australia, operating 14+ sites and five headspace centres serving 19,000+ clients annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH), Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

Keywords

• Youth mental health
• Community social services
• Homelessness support
• Suicide bereavement support
• Child safety services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nambour

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Primary source of income through federal and state government funding for community services, mental health programs, homelessness services, and child safety initiatives. Government grants sustain core operations across all service areas.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Community donations, fundraising campaigns, and bequests. Includes corporate partnerships, school fundraising programs, events, and direct charitable giving. Donations support programs outside government funding.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorships and partnerships with businesses including White's IGA, Nutworks, AECOM, Cricks Nambour. Includes in-kind donations, cause marketing, and employee giving programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Youturn Youth Support is a not-for-profit organization delivering free, trauma-informed community services across four core areas: Child Safety, Homelessness, Mental Health, and Suicide Prevention. Services include headspace youth mental health centres, StandBy Support After Suicide postvention, family support programs, crisis accommodation and homelessness support, and youth wellbeing hubs, delivered through 14+ locations across Southern Queensland and South Australia.

Product overview

Youturn Youth Support is a not-for-profit organization operating as a platform of interconnected social, community, and health services rather than a single product. The organization delivers services across four core focus areas: Child Safety (Family Support, Bridging Families, Intensive Family Support, Supported Independent Living, Residential Care), Homelessness (Specialist Homelessness Services, Crisis Accommodation, Emergency Relief, Financial Counselling), Mental Health (headspace centres, Youth Enhanced Service, YouMatter program), and Suicide Prevention (StandBy Support After Suicide). Additionally, Youturn has developed innovative programs including YouConnect Gym youth wellbeing hubs, the Tiny Homes transitional housing initiative, and VR-based mental health tools. Services are delivered through 14+ locations across Southern Queensland and South Australia, with a multidisciplinary team of approximately 300 staff supporting over 19,000 people annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• StandBy Support After Suicide: A national program established by Youturn in 2002 providing suicide bereavement counselling and support to individuals, families, friends, witnesses, first responders, and service providers.
• YouConnect Gym
• YouConnect Hub
• YouMatter
• headspace
• YouCrew

Products and services

• headspace Youth Mental Health Centres National early intervention mental health service operated by Youturn across multiple centres for young people aged 12-25, providing support for mental health, physical health, alcohol and drug issues, and work and study needs.
• StandBy Support After Suicide National postvention program supporting anyone bereaved or impacted by suicide, providing case management, group programs, and community-based support across NSW, QLD, Victoria, and NT.
• YouConnect Gym Holistic youth-wellbeing hub offering safe, non-judgmental spaces for physical activity, social connection, peer support and access to broader Youturn services, designed to meet young people before crisis escalates.
• Youth Enhanced Service (YES) Mental health and wellbeing service providing early intervention support for young people, including art therapy and other therapeutic interventions, delivered by Youturn's YES Adelaide team in South Australia.
• YouMatter Program Free 8-week youth mental wellbeing program offering a relaxed non-clinical environment for teenagers and young adults (12-25 years) to talk, connect, and learn tools and strategies for dealing with life challenges.
• Family Support Program Child safety service providing tailored family support designed to strengthen relationships, build parenting capacity, and ensure children have safe and nurturing environments.
• Bridging Families Program Child safety program supporting families during and after child protection involvement to maintain connections and work towards reunification where safe.
• Intensive Family Support (IFS) Services Intensive support services for families experiencing significant challenges, providing comprehensive case management and intervention.
• Supported Independent Living Accommodation and support service for young people requiring assistance to live independently, providing housing support and life skills development.
• Residential Care Service Out-of-home care service providing supported accommodation for children and young people who cannot live with their families.
• Specialist Homelessness Services Wrap-around case management for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, helping access and sustain long-term housing.
• Crisis Accommodation Program Emergency shelter and accommodation services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness or at immediate risk.
• Emergency Relief Immediate assistance for people in crisis including food, clothing, shower and laundry facilities, and other essential needs, delivered from the Tewantin office and Tait Duke Cottage community support centre.
• Financial Counselling and Resilience Financial counselling services helping people manage financial hardship, develop budgeting skills, and build financial resilience.
• Youth Support Services General youth support services helping young people navigate challenges related to housing, mental health, and wellbeing.
• Tiny Homes Short-term transitional housing initiative providing young people aged 18-25 with accommodation as they move from crisis towards independent living.

Quantifiable outcome

• 19,000+ people supported annually (FY2024-2025)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Country SA PHN (Primary Health Network)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2025Partnership with Country SA PHN for headspace Gawler and headspace Port Lincoln centres. PHN funds and appoints Youturn as lead agency for youth mental health services in regional South Australia.
• AMSANT (Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStandBy team in partnership with AMSANT on the Healing Together workshop, a culturally responsive initiative strengthening postvention support and social-emotional wellbeing in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. The partnership focuses on community-led healing, moving away from fly-in-fly-out models to build local capacity.
• White's IGAmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSteadfast supporter raising funds for mental health projects. Partnership during National Homelessness Week and ongoing campaigns. White's IGA Group includes six stores across the Sunshine Coast region.
• NutworksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChampions Youturn's cause through sale of limited-edition confectionery (macadamia nut products) generating funds for mental health programs. Partnership aims to encourage conversations about mental health and decrease stigma.
• AECOMmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational infrastructure consulting firm that invited Youturn to present at virtual town hall for 700+ staff. Engagement led to employee giveback program contributions and ongoing support for Emergency Relief efforts at Tewantin.
• Sunshine Coast Grammar SchoolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSchool partnership through YouCrew School Ambassador Leadership Program. Students fundraise at Sunshine Coast Marathon, run awareness campaigns, and volunteer with Good Shepherd Lutheran cooking meals.
• Pacific Lutheran College (PLC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership through YouCrew School Ambassador Leadership Program with students participating in Homelessness Sleepout and fundraising events.
• Noosa CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership including $60,000 facility upgrade through State Government Unite and Recover Stimulus Package. Collaboration on Tiny Homes initiative and community support programs.
• Oliver Foran (Mountaineer/Adventurer)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMountaineer and mental-health advocate championing YouConnect Gym initiative through Climbing for Young Minds campaign. World record attempt (fastest human-powered journey from Bay of Bengal to Everest summit) to raise funds and national awareness.
• University of New South Wales - Big Anxiety Research CentremajorTechnology or IntegrationPartnership to bring Edge of the Present VR mental health intervention to Sunshine Coast headspace centres. World's first VR environment for mental health support.
• Deaf Australia / Deaf ConnectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStandBy developed tailored resources including videos and factsheets for Deaf and Hard of Hearing community. Long-term working relationship including staff deaf awareness training delivered by Expression Australia.
• Switchboard VictoriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouturn's StandBy and YES Adelaide teams participate in 'Changing the Landscape' national campaign led by Switchboard Victoria calling on healthcare sector for improved suicide bereavement support.
• Aussie Tiny HousesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal business with 35+ years building experience donated $10,000 towards outfitting of Tiny Homes for youth homelessness. Partnered with Youturn for Big Hearts for Tiny Homes campaign.
• Maroochy RSLminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity organization providing grants enabling Youturn to deliver projects and programs beyond government-funded services.
• Buderim FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation providing grants for projects and programs beyond government-funded services including Tiny Homes initiative.
• Manawee GardensminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated plants and landscaping items to create welcoming outdoor oasis for tenants at emergency accommodation upgrade.
• Cricks NambourminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored Youturn-branded Outlander vehicle ('YOUlander') enabling community connection, event attendance, and travel between sites.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Salvation Army Australia: Major Australian NFP with extensive homelessness, crisis accommodation, emergency relief, and family support services. Comparable to Youturn's Specialist Homelessness Services, Crisis Accommodation, and Emergency Relief programs but at vastly greater national scale.
• Life Without Barriers: Large NFP providing child protection, out-of-home care, disability, and youth mental health services across Australia. Closely mirrors Youturn's Intensive Family Support, Residential Care, and Supported Independent Living programs at greater national scale.
• Anglicare Australia: National federation of community services agencies delivering family support, homelessness, mental health, and out-of-home care. Overlaps directly with Youturn's child safety, family support, and homelessness program streams across multiple Australian states.
• headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation: National umbrella organization for the headspace youth mental health network that Youturn operates multiple centres within. Both share the same target population (12-25 year-olds), service model, and government funding pathways, making headspace National the most direct strategic counterpart.
• Lifeline Australia: National crisis support and suicide prevention service with associated postvention delivery. Adjacent to Youturn's StandBy postvention service with overlapping mission but different delivery model (crisis line vs. case management).
• Mission Australia: Large Australian NFP delivering child safety, homelessness, mental health, and youth services nationally. Highly comparable operating model to Youturn's community services platform but at substantially greater scale and geographic breadth.

Emerging players

• Kids Under Cover: Australian NFP providing accommodation solutions for young people at risk of homelessness or in out-of-home care. Directly comparable to Youturn's Tiny Homes initiative for youth transitional housing, though at smaller scale.

Direct peers

• OzChild: Australian NFP focused on children, young people, and families with services in child protection, family support, and youth programs. Directly comparable on Youturn's child safety and family support service lines at similar scale.
• Launch Housing: Specialist homelessness services and crisis accommodation provider in Victoria with similar Specialist Homelessness Services and Supported Independent Living offerings. Directly comparable on homelessness delivery model though regionally focused on Victoria.

Regional players

• Beyond Blue: National mental health organization focused on anxiety, depression, and suicide prevention. Touches Youturn's mental health and StandBy postvention remit but at a national awareness and helpline level rather than direct service delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCaFRuOiKtCGs0MZJAXhnWoQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/YouturnSupport
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/youturn-support
• Instagraminstagram.com/youturnsupport

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Youturn Youth Support