As the community-managed mental health sector navigates challenges due to geopolitical conflict and fuel shortages, many young people are also experiencing heightened uncertainty about their future. Focusing on practical ways to manage uncertainty can help us sustain both our work and wellbeing, while continuing to support young people to do the same.

Right now, many people across the sector are navigating a constant flow of complex and often distressing information. Ongoing global events, and the constant stream of news that comes with them, can make uncertainty feel immediate and hard to step away from. For many working in community-managed mental health, this can contribute to overwhelm alongside the responsibility of supporting others. For young people, it can amplify anxiety, particularly when it affects their sense of stability, future planning, or access to support.

What young people in NSW are telling us

Ahead of NSW Youth Week, the NSW Office for Youth commissioned The Insight Centre to capture the voices of young people aged 10 to 24 across NSW in the Youth Week 2026 Polling Report.

Insights from the data reveal that mental health and wellbeing are key priorities across all age groups, with cost of living, housing and education pressures following closely behind. These concerns are not separate from one another, with financial stress straining both mental health and the ability to seek support.

At the same time, the polling also points to young people’s resilience. Despite these pressures, four in five young people said they had felt happy with their life over the past year, suggesting many are finding ways to cope and maintain hope.

Even so, resilience should not be mistaken for easy access to support. Only 12 per cent of young people with a mental health challenge said mental health services are affordable, while 29 per cent reported using AI as a support strategy to look after their mental health.

These findings point to the resourcefulness of young people, alongside emerging concerns around the use of AI for mental health support, and the ongoing gaps in the systems meant to support them.

Practical ways to respond to uncertainty

Small choices about when and how we engage and respond can help reduce the load we’re carrying, protect our wellbeing and build momentum to walk alongside others, including young people who may be navigating these challenges for the first time.

1. Focus on what you can control

In times of uncertainty, it can help to return to the strengths you already draw on in your work and life, whether that is adaptability, empathy, problem-solving, creativity, persistence or knowing when to lean on others. This is not the first time that the news cycle has felt dizzying, or that broader events have shaped how you may think, feel and show up in your life.

For young people, support in this area might look like helping them identify what their strengths are and how they can use them, even when bigger issues feel uncertain or out of reach. Small, manageable actions can support a greater sense of agency.

2. Limit your exposure to distressing content

Pictures in the mind can often stay with us longer than reading news updates, leaving lasting impressions that then influence our wellbeing. This might include scrolling past graphic footage on social media, watching repeated news clips, or seeing images shared in group chats.
Choosing text-based updates where possible, avoiding autoplay videos, or stepping away from platforms that prioritise visual content can help reduce this impact, while staying informed.

3. Stay connected

Uncertainty can be isolating, particularly when people feel they need to manage it on their own. Staying connected with others can help reduce that sense of isolation and remind us that support is available. For workers, this might mean making time for team connection, debriefing with colleagues, or reaching out for supervision and support when needed.

For young people, consistent and compassionate conversations matter. They do not always need someone to solve the uncertainty they are facing, but they do need spaces where their concerns are taken seriously. Creating opportunities to listen, validate their feelings and explore what support might help can build trust and reduce the sense that they have to carry everything alone.

4. Practise and model openness to uncertainty

Young people do not need adults or services to have all the answers. What often matters more is the presence of calm, honest and supportive people who can acknowledge uncertainty without adding to fear. Modelling steadiness means being realistic about what is difficult while also communicating that uncertainty can be managed, and that support is available.

This approach can help young people feel less alone in what they are experiencing. It also offers a reminder to those across the sector that care does not require perfection.

Community-based organisations supporting youth

For practitioners, young people, and families seeking further information or support, Mental Health Coordinating Council members with a focus on supporting young people include:

• ACON: mental health support, counselling and community connection for LGBTQ+ young people and adults
• Human Nature: nature-based programs that support connection, resilience and wellbeing for young people
• KidsXpress: trauma-informed expressive therapy and support for children and young people
• Kookaburra Kids: support for children and young people in families affected by mental health challenges
• KYDS: free, confidential counselling for young people aged 10-18 (no referral needed)
• Mission Australia: housing, education, employment and wellbeing support for families and young people
• Rainbow Roos: inclusive soccer program for children of all ages and abilities
• ReachOut Australia: mental health information, tools and support for young people and their parents or carers
• Stronger Brains: empowering children and young people to build better lives by improving their brain health
• Stride: mental health services and tailored support for young people, adults and families
• Sydney Drug Education and Counselling Centre “SDECC”: counselling, education and support for young people and families affected by alcohol and other drugs
• Ted Noffs Foundation: counselling, treatment and support services for young people affected by alcohol, drugs and related challenges
• Weave Youth & Community Services: counselling, advocacy and community support for children, young people and families