Building a community around Planet Youth Blue Mountains
It takes a village.
The Planet Youth Blue Mountains project involves many local organisations, schools and community members and our network is growing. If you would like to find out more or join the conversation to help our young people live their best lives, please join us.
Follow the Planet Youth Facebook Page or get in touch through this website or contact one of our supporting organisations.
Planet Youth Partners & Supporters
Planet Youth is led by the Blue Mountains City Council and Mountains Youth Services Team (MYST) to form the Blue Mountains Local Drug Action Team (LDAT). The LDAT is supported and resourced by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, which funds activities through an approved Community Action Plan.
The LDAT works with organisations, including Platform Youth Services, Belong Blue Mountains, Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre, Nepean-Blue Mountains Primary Health Network, Ted Noffs Foundation, Department of Education and TAFE. The LDAT works collaboratively with young people, their families, community organisations and schools in the Blue Mountains including Blaxland High School, Blue Mountains Grammar School, Katoomba High School, Korowal School, Springwood High School and Winmalee High School.
Alcohol and Drug Foundation – Local Drug Action Team
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) is Australia’s leading organisation committed to inspiring positive change and delivering evidence-based approaches to minimise alcohol and drug harm.
The ADFs Local Drug Action Team Program supports local organisations to build or extend partnerships in their community and develop evidence-informed activities to prevent and minimise the harm caused by alcohol and other drugs at a grass- roots level.
For General ADF Enquiries Call: 03 9611 6100
For Drug & Alcohol Advice Call: 1300 85 85 84
Blue Mountains City Council
Blue Mountains City Council runs a number of services for local residents. The Youth Services Development Officer works collaboratively with schools, organisations and individuals to improve outcomes for young people aged 12-25.
BMCCs Mountains of Help is a useful source of information about services and support available for young people and families in the Blue Mountains. Go to BMCC’s Mountains of Help website.
Planet Youth Project Officer – Nikki Boys – call 02 4780 5545 or email nboys@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
General Enquiries – call 02 4780 5000 or email council@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
MYST – Mountains Youth Services Team
MYST supports young people aged 12-24 in the Blue Mountains who are experiencing vulnerability.
MYST provides drop-in support at two Youth Centres, Youth Worker and case management individual support, adolescent and family counselling support, bush adventure therapy and in-school as well as in-centre programs.
Contact the MYST team on 1300 006 978.
Platform Youth Services
Nepean Blue Mountains Hawkesbury-based Platform Youth Services is a not-for-profit youth accommodation service established in 2013 to support young people with a history of homelessness and disadvantage to receive the education required to succeed in adulthood.
“At Platform, we get it. We spend every day with young people. We take the time to listen to what’s happening for you and then we work with you – and others where it makes sense; like your family, other agencies and the community – to get your needs met”.
Contact: Flinn Donovan, Aboriginal Case Manager (District)
Mobile: 0481 149 100 Phone: 02 47 600 800
Email: fdonovan@platformys.org.au
Belong Blue Mountains
A locally-based, locally-run, community and neighbourhood services organisation formed in 2018 to bring together the Lower Mountains, Mid Mountains and Katoomba Neighbourhood Centres.
The Neighbourhood Centres have more than 100 years of community service between them. Run by a team of dedicated workers and passionate volunteers, the centres are safe, welcoming places in which the Belong Blue Mountains team work to build the strength, wellbeing, resilience and cohesion of a growing Blue Mountains community.
Call: 02 4782 1117 Email: info@belongbm.org.au
Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre (BANC)
A not-for-profit community based organisation that provide a range of services to the local and wider Blue Mountains community.
BANC supports activities and services that enhance communities through the provision of programs that empower people to improve the quality of their life and realise their potential. BANC seeks to be inclusive, to help people connect, and to build community resilience.
Phone: 02 4787 7770.
Springwood Neighbourhood Centre
Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative Ltd (SNCC), established in 1978, is a community managed organisation, linking people, resources and ideas. SNCC applies the principles of social justice to the wellbeing of the community.
We aim to improve the quality of life experienced by our residents by identifying needs in the community and developing services to meet those needs.
PH: 4751 3033 or Email reception@sncc.org.au
Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network
Wentworth Healthcare is the provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network (NBMPHN), a local not-for-profit organisation striving to improve the health and wellbeing of people in the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Lithgow and Penrith. NBMPHN always tries to put the voice of the community and stakeholders at the centre of our work, which includes:
- supporting general practice to provide high quality care to their patients;
- funding or commissioning local health services that meet the needs of the community; and
- integrating the different parts of the local health system
ACRC – Blue Mountains Aboriginal Culture & Resource Centre
ACRC’s purpose is to strengthen, give recognition to and support the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community of the Blue Mountains Local Government Area.
ACRC offers a range of services including Aboriginal Family Support, Aboriginal Elders Support, Transport Services, Cultural Development Services, Volunteer Services as well as a range of Groups and Courses for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Call: (02) 4782 6569 or Email: admin@acrc.org.au
Uniting
Uniting is a partner of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), delivering the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in the local community.
Uniting supports people aged 7–65 who have NDIS plans and are eligible for the scheme. They also support people aged 7–65 with disability who are not eligible for the scheme by connecting them to services and supports in their local community.
To get involved and find out more about Planet Youth Blue Mountains, please contact us. You can also sign up for Planet Youth Blue Mountains News emails and jump on our socials.
Planet Youth Blue Mountains is an Alcohol and Drug Foundation funded initiative that is being implemented by the Local Drug Action Team in partnership with Blue Mountains City Council and Mountains Youth Services Team (MYST) and supported by local schools, community members and a number of community services including Platform Youth Services, Ted Noffs Foundation, Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network, Stronger Families Alliance, Belong Blue Mountains, Springwood Neighbourhood Centre, Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre, Blue Mountains Women’s Health & Resource Centre, Catholic Care, Uniting, TAFE Blue Mountains and the NSW Department of Education.