Youth Week 2026 was a big one! Across seven events and six local government areas, the St Vincent de Paul Society was out there — in the parks, the plazas, and the community halls — connecting with young people right where they are.
This year's theme, Dream. Dare. Do., felt especially fitting as Youth Week coincided with the birthday of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam on 23 April — the young Frenchman who, at just 20 years old, co-founded the St Vincent de Paul Society because he believed faith had to be lived, not just talked about. Nearly two centuries later, young people across Sydney were doing exactly what he had hoped: stepping up, getting involved, and making their communities better.
Kicking Things Off in Randwick
The first event of the Metro program was the Randwick Youth Event on 10 April, where creativity and good energy set the tone for the week ahead. Volunteers and employees from across the organisation were on the ground, connecting with young people and sharing information about volunteering pathways and support services available in the local area.
It was a colourful, welcoming start to the week — and a good reminder that The Society belongs in the spaces where young people gather, create, and just have a good time together. When young people see The Society at events like this, it plants a seed about what getting involved could look like for them.
Hurstville Gets the Night-Out Treatment
Also on 10 April, Hurstville Plaza lit up for a movie night run by Georges River Council. It was The Society's first connection with Georges River Council, and the relaxed outdoor setting gave the team a chance to have genuine conversations with community members of all ages.
Youth Homelessness Matters Day — Berala
On 15 April, the focus shifted to something more grounded. Held at the Berala Community Centre in partnership with Cumberland City Council, this event tackled Youth Homelessness Matters Day head-on. The workshop content was specifically tailored to the local community and hit home for those who attended, sparking real conversations about housing instability and the supports available.
Strong connections were made with local families and the Local Area Police Command — the kind of relationships that make a difference long after the event is over. The Cumberland LGA is one of the few areas in Metro Sydney where you can point someone toward a Vinnies Support Centre, a Van service, a distribution centre, and volunteer opportunities all in one breath. That's a powerful story to tell, and this was a great place to tell it.
The Biggest Night of the Week: Richmond and Granville
17 April was the biggest night of the week — two events running simultaneously on opposite ends of Greater Sydney.
Up in Hawkesbury LGA, the Richmond Youth Fest was exactly what community events should be: youth-led, locally loved, and full of high school students who showed up despite it being school holidays (that's commitment!). A Richmond Conference Member was also there representing The Society on the ground, which made the presence feel genuine and rooted in the local community. Hawkesbury Council also recognised The Society as an official event partner — an encouraging step in an area where our organisation is growing its presence.
Colour Run in North Sydney
On 18 April, the team attended North Sydney’s Colour Fest — a vibrant colour run filled with energy, laughter and plenty of powder‑covered shirts. The event drew a young, lively crowd and gave The Society a valuable opportunity to connect with a community that may not always think of us first, helping build the awareness that support — and opportunities to support others — are always close at hand.
Bring It On — Fairfield Goes Off
If you had to pick a highlight for pure energy, Fairfield City's Bring It On event on 19 April would be hard to beat. This one outdid last year — a bigger council event, bigger crowds, more giveaways, and a spinning wheel that proved irresistible to pretty much everyone who walked past. Two Vinnies Youth volunteers were there alongside the team and were genuinely brilliant ambassadors for what young people can do within The Society.
School students from the local area stopped to ask about volunteering, families wanted to know more about Vinnies services, and the Western Sydney community showed — again — that it's one of the most enthusiastic and connected communities the organisation works with. This one is only going to keep growing!
What It All Adds Up To
Across the week, something became clear: young people aren't waiting to be invited. They're already showing up, already asking how to get involved, already dreaming, daring, and doing. The Society's role is to be there to meet them — with real information about volunteering pathways, the Vinnies Service Medallion program, and the support services available to young people and families doing it tough.
Frédéric Ozanam believed young people could change the world. This Youth Week, a whole lot of young Sydneysiders proved him right.
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