Leaving care is one of the biggest transitions in a young person’s life. For many, it happens too quickly and without enough support. CREATE Foundation is leading the way to change that - ensuring young people have the time, tools, and networks they need to move into adulthood with confidence and connection.
Our CREATE Your Future (CYF) suite of programs and resources supports young people aged 15-25 to build life skills, make informed decisions, and plan their next steps. Co-designed with young people and delivered across Australia, these initiatives ensure no one has to face independence alone.
When young people leave care, the sudden shift to independence can feel overwhelming. Too often, they move without a clear plan or ongoing support. CREATE’s work helps bridge that gap - giving young people the preparation, confidence, and voice they need to thrive beyond care.
Through programs like CREATE Your Future, Go Your Own Way Kits, and the Sortli App, we’re equipping young people with practical skills, strong networks, and opportunities to influence better systems for those who come after them.
CREATE Your Future (CYF)
A practical life-skills program for young people aged 15-25 with a care experience. CYF workshops build independence through eight interactive modules covering wellbeing, identity, relationships, money, housing, employment, community participation, and support services.
Workshops are co-facilitated by trained Young Consultants, who share their lived experience to bring learning to life. The program also includes the CREATE Your Future website, grants for essential items like laptops or household goods, and partnerships with organisations who deliver workshops locally.
Sortli App
Developed by CREATE with young people, Sortli is a free mobile app that helps users plan goals, access information, and track progress across key areas like housing, health, money, education, and work.
Sortli is state and territory specific, easy to use, and regularly updated with input from young people to stay relevant and empowering.
Go Your Own Way (GYOW) Kits
The Go Your Own Way Kit is a national planning toolkit designed with young people to support a gradual, supported transition from care.
Each kit includes a workbook and practical tools to guide discussions between young people and their caseworkers on education, housing, health, money, and life skills - helping them set goals and plan for independence.
CREATE Your Future Grants
Small grants that make a big difference. These grants provide financial assistance for essentials such as laptops, interview clothing, and furniture - helping young people set up for success as they take their first steps toward independence.
National Expos and Events
CREATE also hosts large-scale transition expos across Australia, connecting young people, carers, and services under one roof. These interactive events showcase pathways in education, employment, health, housing, and wellbeing - empowering young people with information and support.
Recent examples include:
CREATE Your Future Expo - South Australia
Transition to Adulthood Month – Queensland
These events are a celebration of collaboration - bringing together government, community services, and young people to strengthen transition pathways nationwide.
Driving National Change
CREATE has long advocated for stronger transition planning and extended supports for care leavers. All Australian states and territories have now committed to extending care to 21 - a major milestone achieved through years of advocacy driven by young people’s voices.
Our focus now is on ensuring consistency, equity, and accountability across jurisdictions, and that lived experience continues to guide how these supports are delivered and evaluated.
CREATE Foundation is Australia’s national leader in supporting and advocating for young people transitioning from care to independence. Our programs are co-designed, evidence-informed, and grounded in lived experience - ensuring every young person can step into adulthood with confidence, connection, and choice.
If you’re a young person, carer, caseworker, or service provider and want to learn more about CREATE’s transition initiatives, contact us at create@create.org.auor call 1800 655 105.
