Wear It Purple Day, observed on 28 August each year, is a moment to stand with LGBTQIA+ young people and celebrate diversity, inclusion and the right of every young person to feel safe, valued and supported. This year’s theme, Colours of Courage, reminds us that courage is not only about visibility; it is also about the everyday strength it can take for young people to be themselves.
At SDECC, Wear It Purple Day is a reminder that every young person deserves support that is safe, affirming and free from judgement. For some LGBTQIA+ young people, experiences of stigma, isolation or rejection can increase emotional distress and make it harder to seek help. When mental health concerns and alcohol or other drug use are present, they need to be understood with compassion and in context.
“Wear It Purple Day is about more than visibility. It is about telling LGBTQIA+ young people that they are valued, respected and entitled to support that sees, hears and affirms who they are”, says Dominique Robert-Hendren, CEO of SDECC and Clinical Psychologist.
Why this matters for young people
The research is important, but the central message is simple: young people are more likely to reach out when they feel safe, accepted and understood.
Australian research shows that young people experience higher rates of both mental health concerns and substance use than many other age groups. LGBTQIA+ young people can face additional pressures, including stigma, discrimination, bullying, family rejection or fear of not being accepted. These experiences can affect wellbeing and may also influence how, when and whether a young person seeks support.
“For many young people, belonging is not a small thing — it is central to wellbeing. When a young person knows they are accepted as they are, it can make it easier to talk honestly about what is happening for them and to ask for help earlier”, explains Dominique.
Support should be safe, affirming and non-judgmental
For young people navigating questions of identity, belonging and safety, support needs to begin with trust. This is especially true when mental health concerns and alcohol or other drug use are part of the picture. A young person may be using substances to cope with distress, stress, trauma, social pressure or difficult experiences. Others may be trying to manage anxiety, low mood, sleep difficulties or feelings of isolation.
The most helpful response is not blame or judgement. It is curiosity, compassion and practical support that looks at the whole young person: their strengths, their relationships, their identity, their experiences and the pressures around them.
“When a young person reaches out, the first message they should receive is: you are not a problem to be fixed; you are a person to be supported”, says Dominique. “That is especially important for LGBTQIA+ young people, who may have already had experiences of being misunderstood, judged or excluded”.
Wear It Purple Day and LGBTQIA+ young people
Wear It Purple Day brings attention to the courage, strength and identity of LGBTQIA+ young people. It is a day to celebrate who young people are, while also acknowledging the importance of safe adults, inclusive services and communities that actively affirm them.
“Courage should not sit only with young people. It is also our responsibility as adults, services and communities to create environments where LGBTQIA+ young people do not have to fight to be safe, respected or believed”, Dominique reflects.
Where the evidence is included, it should support this message rather than overtake it. National data shows that LGBTQIA+ people experience higher rates of mental health concerns than heterosexual and cisgender people. These differences are not caused by LGBTQIA+ identity itself, but by the impact of stigma, discrimination, exclusion and lack of affirming support.
Dominique notes: “The elevated rates of distress we see in research are not about LGBTQIA+ young people being inherently vulnerable. They are about the environments young people are asked to survive in. When families, schools and services provide genuine affirmation and safety, that can be profoundly protective”.
SDECC is an ACON Welcome Here service. We welcome LGBTQIA+ young people and their families, and we are committed to providing support that is affirming, safe, inclusive and non-judgmental.
“Inclusive practice is not just about having the right words on a poster. It is about what a young person experiences when they walk through the door: whether they are listened to, believed, respected and supported without judgement,” she adds”.
When to reach out for support
Early, compassionate support can make a significant difference, particularly when young people are beginning to feel overwhelmed, disconnected or unsure how to manage difficult emotions or experiences.
Many young people, and the families and professionals who support them, are unsure when to seek help. A common concern is that things are not serious enough yet, or that support will be complicated, costly or require a formal referral.
Support does not need to wait for a crisis. Some signs that it may be time to seek help include:
- a young person using alcohol or other drugs more frequently or in riskier ways
- struggling with mood, sleep, anxiety or stress
- withdrawing from family, friends or activities they used to enjoy
- finding it harder to engage with school, TAFE, university or work
- using substances to manage difficult feelings or experiences
- These signs are meaningful. They are also common and they respond well to timely, compassionate support.
What helpful support looks like
Effective alcohol and drug support for young people considers the whole person, not the substance use alone. It asks: What is this young person carrying? What are their strengths? What is happening around them? What kind of support will help them move forward?
This means support that is trauma-informed and evidence-informed. It means working collaboratively with families where appropriate and with the young person’s consent. It also means coordinating care with schools, GPs, mental health services and other supports so that families and providers are working from a shared plan.
From a clinical perspective, Dominique emphasises: “Good support does not separate a young person’s substance use from the rest of their life. It looks at connection, identity, family, culture, safety, trauma, strengths and hope because all of these things matter in recovery and change”.
It also means making access as simple as possible. One of the most significant barriers to help-seeking for young people is the assumption that finding the right service, getting a referral or navigating a waitlist will be hard. These barriers can stop people from reaching out. At SDECC, support is free, confidential and available now.
“Young people should not have to be in crisis before support becomes available. A warm, early conversation can reduce shame, build trust and help a young person feel less alone”, according to Dominique.
About SDECC
Sydney Drug Education and Counselling Centre (SDECC) provides free, confidential AOD counselling and early intervention support for young people aged 12 to 25 and their families across Northern Sydney, including Manly, St Leonards, Ryde, Hornsby, Chatswood and Avalon Beach.
No referral is required. No Medicare card is needed. Young people can self-refer, and parents, carers, schools and GPs can also make contact on behalf of a young person.
SDECC’s counsellors take a trauma-informed, evidence-informed approach that considers the full context of a young person’s life. Support is available for the young person, for parents and carers, and for the families and communities around them.
On Wear It Purple Day and every day, SDECC walks alongside young people, whatever they are navigating, wherever they are in their journey.
To find out more or to get in touch, visit sdecc.org.au or call (02) 9977 0711.
Where to get help
If there is an immediate risk to someone’s safety, call 000.
- Lifeline: 13 11 14
- Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
- QLife (LGBTQIA+ peer support): 1800 184 527 (3pm to 9pm, 7 days)
- Mental Health Line (NSW): 1800 011 511
- National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline: 1800 250 015
- 13YARN: 13 92 76
- eheadspace online chat: headspace.org.au
References
- Australian Bureau of Statistics (2023). National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020-2022. Canberra: ABS.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2026). Alcohol and other drug treatment services in Australia annual report 2024-25. Canberra: AIHW.
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2026). Children and young people’s experiences of alcohol and other drugs. Canberra: AIHW.
- Sunderland M et al. (2025). Co-occurring mental and substance use disorders in Australia 2020-2022. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 59(6), 522-532.
- Bailey S et al. (2024). Prevalence, distribution, and inequitable co-occurrence of mental ill-health and substance use among gender and sexuality diverse young people in Australia. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.
- Levine SZ et al. (2025). Adolescent Cannabis Use and Risk of Psychotic, Bipolar, Depressive, and Anxiety Disorders. JAMA.
- Australian Institute of Family Studies (2024). Early intervention for young people’s mental health: Guidance for community-based services. Melbourne: AIFS.
- Wear It Purple Inc. (2026). About Wear It Purple Day. wearitpurple.org