Youth Advocacy Centre (YAC)

The Youth Advocacy Centre Inc (YAC) is a legal and social welfare agency for young people aged 10-18 years in and around the greater Brisbane area who are involved in, or at risk of involvement in, the youth justice and/or child protection systems and/or are homeless or at risk of homelessness. It has been operating since 1981. Limited assistance by telephone is available to young people outside Brisbane. YAC's website has information sheets about a range of areas of law which are relevant to young people and their lives which can be accessed by young people or anyone working with young people. YAC's multidisciplinary team of lawyers and social welfare caseworkers (homelessness/youth at risk support; family support; bail support; court support; educational engagement) aim to ensure that young people are well advised and represented in relation to legal matters but that the social welfare, environmental or personal issues which are bringing them into contact with the law and legal systems are addressed. YAC's services are: young person centred and directed; voluntary; confidential; human rights compliant (particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child), non-discriminatory; trauma informed; strengths based; and free.