Youth At Risk Alliance was born out of a vision to improve the coordination of services for young people at risk and their families by assisting both government and community organisations to be more collaborative and integrated.

YARA members include representatives from federal, state and local governments and community organisations that work with young people on the Gold Coast. They meet to identify service gaps and determine how best to coordinate a ‘whole of government and community’ response as well as tackling any systemic barriers that young people with complex needs may be facing.

The YARA model is demonstrating that the benefits of planning and working collaboratively can expand the range of interventions, create more efficient use of resources, and achieve better outcomes for young people and organisations.

YARA began in late 2000 as Integrated Response To Youth At Risk In 2003, Wesley Mission Brisbane took over the auspice from the Department of Communities and the project became known as Youth At Risk Alliance. Wesley’s values of Integrity, Respect, Hope, Justice, Empathy, Compassion and Openness to Change, are strongly aligned with those of the YARA organisations and the way in which they support young people with complex needs.