Community Service News | Brisbane Youth Service

What every Australian needs to know about youth homelessness: Pam Barker on the Hair Therapist podcast

“Young people are not the problem. They’re the solution.” That’s the message Pam Barker, CEO of Brisbane Youth Service (BYS), drives home in her conversation with host Mel Alsemgeest on the Hair Therapist podcast. This episode isn’t just about youth homelessness. It’s about resilience and the power of connection. It’s about listening to the stories […]

Posted Sep 05, 2025

Brisbane Youth Service Receives Thriving Communities Initiative Award

Brisbane Youth Service (BYS) was proud to receive the Thriving Communities Initiative Award at the Queensland Child Protection Week Awards on 4 September 2025. These awards honour individuals and organisations working to prevent child harm and neglect. At BYS, this commitment means taking action to protect children, educate young people about healthy relationships, reduce the […]

Daggy Jumper Day 2025: Brisbane got daggy to change young lives

Posted Aug 05, 2025

Brisbane Zero Forum: working together to end homelessness

Ending homelessness takes more than good intentions – it takes data, collaboration, and learning from lived experiences. The Brisbane Zero Forum brings all of that together. Now in its third year, the 2025 forum, held on 5 August, focused on practical solutions and frontline insights. Brisbane Zero is part of Advance to Zero, a shared […]

Posted Aug 04, 2025

Brisbane Youth Service CEO Appointed Co-Chair of New Queensland Housing Sub-Committee

Brisbane Youth Service (BYS) is pleased to announce that Chief Executive Officer, Pam Barker, has been appointed Co-Chair of the Supportive Housing Sub-Committee within the Queensland Government’s Homelessness Ministerial Advisory Council (HMAC). Pam will serve alongside Sue Pope, CEO of Common Ground, in leading the Sub-Committee’s efforts to advance supportive housing solutions across the state. […]

Posted Jul 21, 2025

SBS News: The ‘invisible victims’ being left behind in Australia’s domestic violence response

Witnessing or experiencing family violence can have a lifelong impact on children and, in some cases, even lead to them becoming perpetrators. Pam Barker, CEO of Brisbane Youth Service, says people who witness or experience domestic and family violence at a young age are also more likely to use violence themselves. She says this is […]

Posted May 21, 2025

Young people shape a groundbreaking response to help end the cycle of violence and homelessness

A bold new blueprint to end the harrowing cycle of homelessness will redefine how young people impacted by domestic, family, and sexual violence (DFSV) are supported, with an urgent call for government support. Driven by data that shows DFSV is a leading cause of youth homelessness, Brisbane Youth Service has developed the groundbreaking Youth Domestic, […]

Posted May 06, 2025

Brisbane Youth Service launches new program to support LGBTIQA+ young people facing violence

To mark Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, Brisbane Youth Service has launched a new group-based initiative supporting LGBTIQA+ young people aged 18–25 to build safe, respectful relationships and recover from past experiences of violence. The new program, SAGE+, is designed specifically for LGBTIQA+ young people who have experienced domestic, family, or sexual violence and/or […]

Posted Apr 28, 2025

ABC Radio: Brisbane Youth Service CEO Speaks on Urgent Need for Action on Youth Homelessness

Ahead of Youth Homelessness Matters Day, our CEO Pam Barker spoke with ABC Brisbane’s Kelly Higgins-Devine about the urgent issue of youth homelessness in Australia and the need for immediate action. Listen to Pam Barker’s full interview with ABC Brisbane: Key facts: Many Australians are unaware of the extent of this crisis happening right here […]

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Annual General Meeting – 25 November 2025

Breaking the cycle: Q&A with BYS Youth DFV Advocate Emma*

BYS CEO Pam Barker Appointed to Queensland LGBTQIA+ Roundtable