The NSW government is partnering with Charlotte’s Wish, BREED Australia and The Step into Action Foundation to support a preventative mentoring and wellbeing pilot program for students in Years 6 to 8.
Polling done by the Office for Youth found that mental health is the top issue for young people in 2026 and that one in three young people have experienced bullying or discrimination in the past 12 months.
Young people between the ages of 13-17 said that having a role model or someone trusted to talk with would be the most valuable way to support their mental health.
Support
The Minns government says it’s now investing $200,000 in the Charlotte’s Wish Scholarship Program, which seeks to address this need by connecting participants with support to strengthen their emotional wellbeing, confidence, resilience and sense of belonging.
Transitioning from primary school to high school is understood to be one of the most influential developmental periods within adolescence and can be the point where anxiety, withdrawal, school disengagement or emotional instability first begin emerging.
The pilot has been developed to target ‘the missing middle’, a cohort of young people who don’t yet require higher-intensity mental health intervention but would benefit from early support and engagement.
The free program will provide young people with sustained support to build confidence, emotional resilience, stronger relationships and a greater sense of belonging as they navigate the transition from primary school to high school.
Through movement, wellbeing education, one-on-one mentoring, therapeutic support and family engagement, participants will receive personalised support over 12 months, followed by a further year of connection with BREED Australia.
New investment in youth mental health supports includes:
- $17.1 million over four years to 2026-27 to increase Kids Helpline’s capacity to respond to a rising number of calls.
- $25.4 million to establish four Medicare Mental Health Kids Hubs across NSW in partnership with the Commonwealth which provide free mental health and wellbeing support to kids up to age 12.
- $64 million into community mental health over four years, including enhancing Youth Community Living Support Services to provide psychosocial support to more young people recovering from severe and complex mental illness.
Positive change
Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said, ‘It’s impossible not to be touched by Charlotte’s story and her family’s passion to create positive change – that’s why it was a no-brainer to partner with them on this scholarship program.
‘Mat and Kelly, alongside Emmanuel and the team at BREED, have created this fantastic pilot program to deliver practical support to young people before things escalate to a point where more serious mental health intervention would be needed.
‘As Minister for Youth and a mother of two young people myself, I know how challenging it is to grow up today’s world. I want young people to know that I see them and I am committed to investing in the programs that address their needs.’
Young people need to be seen for who they are
Kelly O’Brien, Charlotte O’Brien’s mum and Charlotte’s Wish ambassador said, ‘As Charlotte’s mum, I want young people to be seen for who they are, not only noticed when they are struggling. This program gives them time, trust and people who will listen early enough that what they are experiencing does not become the story of their life.
‘For me, that is how we honour Charlotte—by helping young people recognise their worth, hold onto hope and know that their future can be greater than what they are facing today.’
Emmanuel Martin, CEO of BREED Australia said, ‘Our focus on students in Years 6 to 8 is deliberate. We want to reach young people during a formative stage of their lives, before the challenges like bullying, affecting their mental health become more serious or entrenched.
‘Learning for Good is the philosophy behind this program and something BREED has developed over many years. It helps young people build the mindset, emotional intelligence and mental resilience so that they can focus on a brighter future, while being able to participate in a safe space with other young people who have faced similar challenges.
‘We are incredibly grateful to the NSW government for recognising the potential of this approach and providing the funding to extend it to more young people and families.’
Champions
Chris Barton, Founder of Step into Action Foundation said, ‘Step Into Action has supported Charlotte’s Wish from the beginning, with our community fundraising helping fund the first seven young people to access the program.
‘We have championed this program because early, sustained, preventative mental health support is crucial in preventing young people’s challenges from developing into crisis.’
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