VicHealth | Young people, health and wellbeing strategy 2017–19

This strategy outlines our vision for a Victoria in which every young person is able to reach their full potential for mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Download: Young people health and wellbeing strategy 2017–19 (PDF, 387 KB)

Infographic: Life stage transitions offer promising opportunities to improve health and wellbeing (2 MB)

Our strategy focuses on the 12–25 age range because it is a critical period for individual development, one that is characterised by important transitions through education, work, family and relationships. During this time, young people are developing physically, intellectually and emotionally, while forming autonomous identities, building independent social networks and initiating intimate relationships. Research shows that life stage transitions are a key time to influence behaviours that build resilience and social connection, and establish lifelong healthy habits. 

By working with young people and our diverse partners, we aim to create the environments and conditions that increase young people’s resilience and social connections, to support them to be safe from harms to their health, and to promote healthy attitudes and choices now and into the future.

A central component of this strategy is action to support young people to take power in decision-making. VicHealth will do this by seeking and valuing their contribution to the design, delivery and governance of our initiatives.

The actions contained within the strategy are supported by our whole-of-population initiatives, and complement our programs and our partners’ work targeting children from birth to age 11. As well as improving young people’s health and wellbeing, actions outlined in this strategy have the potential for broader health, economic and social benefits for Victoria as a whole.