Youth Advice Centre (YAC) Brighton
Services offered at YAC Brighton
YMCA DownsLink Group's Youth Advice Centre (YAC) offers information, support and guidance to young people (13-25) and their families in Brighton and Hove. The YAC team offer expertise on a wide range of topics including housing, wellbeing and family relationships. We provide a safe and friendly environment where everyone is made to feel welcome.
Keep up to date with all thing YAC on our Instagram page.
New to YAC?
Pop in to one of our drop in sessions at 11 St George’s Place, Brighton, BN1 4GB at the following times:
- Monday-Wednesday: 1pm-5pm (last walk-in 4:45pm)
- Thursdays: 2pm-6pm (last walk-in 5:45pm)*
*We also hold a parent only session on Thursdays 6pm-7pm (please call in advance via 01273 624 432)
Advice and support
YAC is a safe space where young people can talk to a worker one to one and receive support around a wide range of topics including:
- Housing and homelessness
- Emotional health and wellbeing
- Family relationships and friendships
- Identity and sexuality
- Money management and budgeting
- Employment, education and training
- Relationships and sexual health
We work with partners across the city and can either signpost or refer young people to their support.
YAC Brighton Food Market
12 items for £5 (plus freebies)
The aim of this project is to support young people in accessing healthy, low-cost foods, toiletries and household items.
YAC is keen to empower young people throughout the project, seeking volunteers, feedback, and inspiration for how YAC Food Market can reflect the needs of our community.
Family Mediation
Our family mediation service is for 16-25 year olds and their families who may be experiencing conflict or relationship breakdown. The team provides a confidential, impartial and non-judgemental space, allowing families to share how they are feeling with a trained mediator.
Contact our family mediation team
- Send an email to the team here
- Fill out a referral form here - please note, once you have filled out the form you will need to email it to [email protected]
Find out more about Family Mediation here.
We are pleased to be part of the UOK partnership, a network of community services working together to support good mental health and wellbeing in Brighton, Hove and East Sussex.
You can find out more about services delivered by our partners here: www.uok.org.uk
Urgent help
Please note that YAC isn’t an emergency service.
If you are experiencing homelessness:
Please go to your local council for assessment.
In Brighton & Hove please visit the BHCC Customer Service Centre or call for an appointment:
If you are experiencing a health emergency (including mental health)
- Visit: A&E
- Call: 999
For same or next day mental health help:
You can get help with your mental health in different ways depending on what you prefer. All services are free:
- Call NHS 111 and select the mental health option (also known as the Sussex Mental Healthline) or the Samaritans on 116 123 (both available 24/7).
- Visit a Staying Well service (out-of-hours mental health crisis support service for people aged 18+ available in Brighton, Crawley, Eastbourne, Hastings and Worthing).
- Text the word SUSSEX to 85258 (24/7 mental health text-messaging support service).
- Download the Stay Alive app – a suicide prevention resource full of useful information and tools to help you stay safe in crisis.
Privacy Notice
To see our privacy notice for young people using our services click here.
Our information sharing document explains why we may need to share young people's information and how we do this.
