Call for funding

Brave Foundation is calling on the Australian Government to continue funding its flagship mentor program to ensure young parents and their children around the country receive the support they need to thrive.

Funding for Brave’s proven Supporting Expecting and Parenting (SEPT) program, via the Office for Women within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, expires 30 June 2024. Without further funding, Brave will need to begin to close the SEPT program and lose experienced and committed staff.

Brave is Australia’s first national not-for-profit dedicated to supporting expecting and parenting young people. The program, informed by those with lived experience, equips young parents with resources, referral, and education opportunities to facilitate happy, healthy, and skilled families.

Brave is requesting the Australian Government:

• Provide $2.95 million in the 2024-25 Federal Budget to Brave Foundation to continue its existing program delivery for a further 12 months.
• Consider long-term sustainable funding arrangements to support ongoing delivery and expansion of the SEPT program.

CEO Jill Roche said further funding was required to allow time for collaboration between the Australian Government and Brave.

“Young parents in Australia are facing a difficult loss if we do not secure funding for Brave’s specialised support services. We need time to continue discussions on how we can ensure expecting and parenting young people have access to the support and opportunities they need to create happy, healthy and skilled families – now and into the future.”

Ms Roche said Brave had played a frontline role since 2009 in providing a service that connects young parents to the resources, referrals and education opportunities they need.

“Young parents, particularly teens, need more intentional and bespoke support because they carry a complex load of responsibility at a critical time in their lives – when they are both developing themselves and raising their children,” she said.

“Transitioning to early parenthood can be a particularly vulnerable period for a young parent and they can benefit immensely from early interventions receiving support as early as possible including during pregnancy.”

“Without access to resources and support networks, an accumulation of disadvantages and the isolation these parents already face will continue to entrench itself.”

“We are ready and able to deliver a program, based on the organisation’s existing and demonstrated SEPT program, that would address the clearly evident demand.”

“Brave is a trusted and proven partner which is eager to continue its fervent support of young parents by collaborating meaningfully and wholly with the government” Ms Roche said.