At the Bowral District Children’s Foundation (BDCF), our focus in recent years has turned increasingly toward one of the most pressing issues facing young people today: youth mental health.

According to the Mental Health Commission of NSW, 1 in 3 Australians aged 16–24 are living with a mental health condition lasting 12 months or more. This national challenge is reflected right here in the Southern Highlands.

Batyr Presentation from 2024 Long Lunch

That’s why BDCF is proud to support early intervention and stigma-reducing programs designed to improve wellbeing outcomes for children and adolescents in our region. These include:

• ‘Learn and Play’ sessions for children and families at POP! In

• Body image and wellbeing programs in primary schools by the Butterfly Foundation

• Youth mentoring in local high schools through the Raise Foundation

• Peer-led mental health programs by Batyr

  
  

Together, these initiatives aim to build confidence, foster connection, and empower young people to seek support when they need it. 

Our purpose is clear: to help create a healthier, more hopeful future for Southern Highlands youth.