What is our vision?
Our goal is to enhance the lives of at risk young-people in Perth during their formative teenage years.
LYF delivers a year-long, one-on-one mentoring program in the setting of large group events, cultivating opportunities and positive experiences within a supportive community.
- We aim to enhance their lives by building trusting mentor relationships.
- We aim to enhance their lives by maintaining a supportive community.
- We aim to enhance their lives by providing new opportunities and experiences.
If you would like to join us on our LYF journey, view our For Volunteers page for more information. If you are interested in getting involved in other ways, please visit the Support Us page.
Why do we do it?
WA is home to almost 616,000 children and young people, representing one quarter of the population. 2022’s Profile of Children and Young People in WA highlights approximately 88,000 young people in WA are living in poverty and more than 5,300 children are in out-of-home care.
In the WA Commissioner for Children’s 2019 Speaking Out Survey, just under one-half (43.6%) of Year 7 to Year 12 WA students report that they don’t feel like they belong in their community. Safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives.
Dropping off the Edge studies communities in every Australian state and territory to identify pockets of entrenched location-based disadvantage and the unique challenges these communities face, providing a picture of where disadvantage is concentrated, how various forms of disadvantage overlap, and how disadvantage becomes entrenched and difficult to escape. In 2020/21, approximately 82% of LYF teens were living within one of Perth’s most disadvantaged areas.
