Divergent Therapies & Solutions is a holistic, forward-thinking wellbeing service that blends traditional therapeutic principles with intuitive, alternative, and community-centred approaches. Its purpose is to support individuals who don’t fit the “one-size-fits-all” model of mental health, personal growth, or learning. Through workshops, clubs educational resources, policy change and one-on-one sessions, clients are equipped to better understand their own unique needs and strengths. This commitment to fostering independence and self-awareness ensures individuals are not just supported temporarily, but are prepared to thrive in the long term.

Queensland Government Funded Lived-Living Experience Orientation Training

FREE Workforce Training to Build Understanding, Readiness & Inclusion

Queensland Government Funded Lived-Living Experience Orientation Training

FREE Workforce Training to Build Understanding, Readiness & Inclusion

The Queensland Mental Health Commission (QMHC) is offering fully funded, Lived-Living Experience Orientation Training — a sector-leading course designed to boost organisational readiness, workforce understanding and inclusive workplace cultures across community services in Queensland. (Lived Experience Training)

This training is ideal for organisations and individuals who want to build foundational knowledge about lived experience workforces and strengthen their ability to collaborate with, support and value people with lived and living experience. (Lived Experience Training)

What Is the Training?

The Lived-Living Experience Orientation Training is an evidence-informed online course that:

✅ Helps participants understand the purpose and value of lived and living experience workforces
✅ Explains key concepts like lived expertise, designated roles, peer work and workforce culture
✅ Builds baseline literacy on how to collaborate with, support and integrate lived experience roles
✅ Enhances organisational readiness and workforce confidence to embed lived experience practice

It’s online and self-paced — so staff can complete it at times that best fit their workflow. (Lived Experience Training)

Who Can Access It?

Thanks to Queensland Government funding:

📍 Organisations and services operating in Queensland are eligible — including NGOs, charities, mental health services, AOD, disability support, suicide prevention programs, housing and related sectors. (Lived Experience Training)

📍 Individuals based in Queensland can also register as themselves if they want to undertake the training independently. (Lived Experience Training)

⚠️ Note: Funding is available for a limited time — access is free until 30 September 2026 while funding lasts. (Lived Experience Training)

Why This Matters

Embedding a lived and living experience orientation across teams supports:

🔹 Better service outcomes through shared understanding
🔹 More respectful, inclusive workplace cultures
🔹 Recognition of lived expertise as a valuable workforce asset
🔹 Greater appreciation for peer support roles and workforce diversity

This training helps break down misconceptions, clarify roles and strengthen organisational confidence in supporting lived experience contributions — whether in designated roles or broader workforce contexts. (Lived Experience Training)

What You’ll Learn

Participants will explore:

✔ Core definitions and concepts of lived and living experience work
✔ Why lived experience roles matter and how they support service effectiveness
✔ Practical insights into working with, supporting and valuing lived experience staff
✔ How to build inclusive workplace practices and cultures that celebrate diversity

This foundational orientation is recommended before deeper workforce development or planning sessions, and it forms the basis for ongoing organisational learning. (Lived Experience Training)

How to Enrol

Registration is open for both:

📌 Organisations (to enrol teams or entire workforces)

👉 Visit the official Queensland funded training page to enrol:
https://livedexperiencetraining.org/qld-funded-lived-experience-training/ (Lived Experience Training)

Supporting Workforce Growth in Queensland

This funded initiative is part of the Queensland Government’s broader commitment to build sustainable, inclusive and well-supported lived experience workforces across community sectors — improving outcomes for services, staff and the communities they support. (Lived Experience Training)

 

YOUTH GRANTS 2026

Play On! Sports Vouchers Vouchers of up to $200 for children aged 5-17 for sport membership/registration fees. Queensland children Round 2 opens 29 January 2026.

Queensland Youth Week Grants Funding of up to $10,000 for events during Queensland Youth Week (11-19 April 2026). Young Queenslanders (12-25) and supporting organisations Submissions open early January 2026.

Redland City Council Activate Redlands Coast Funding Grants from $500 to $5,000 for not-for-profit organizations to run youth events in April 2026. Not-for-profit groups in Redland City Currently open (deadline not specified, but part of Qld Youth Week).

Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships Funding for individuals enrolling in accredited initial teacher education programs. School leavers & career changers (Australia-wide) Closes 12 January 2026.

Indigenous Centre of Vocational Excellence Supports the establishment of an ICOVE host to represent First Nations VET matters. First Nations VET organisation(s) Closes 15 January 2026.

Gulf Trust Grant General community grants with a theme of "supporting strong, vibrant and resilient communities". General applicants (check specific criteria) Closes 9 January 2026.

NSW Youth Development Scholarships $1000 to help with study costs (e.g., textbooks, laptops). Young people in social housing or out-of-home care (NSW) Currently open (details available via the DCJ NSW Facebook page).

AU-EU Cooperation/Entrepreneurship Grants Funding for youth organisations for policy-making and cross-continental collaboration. Youth-led organisations (African & European consortiums) Grant period starts May 2026, applications likely open now/soon (check AU-EU Youth Lab for exact date).

Upcoming Opportunities in 2026

FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants: Encourages youth-led projects in rural, regional, and remote Australia. Round details for 2026 are available on the FRRR website, but the exact opening date in 2026 is not specified as open in January.

Kickstarter Program (QLD): Round 3 of grants for community-led initiatives aimed at reducing youth crime will be announced later in 2026.

Deaf Children Australia Youth Grants: Applications for the next round open at some

Youth, Community & Education Funding Opportunities – 2026

We’re excited to share a wide range of funding opportunities, grants, and support programs available to young people, families, educators, and community organisations across Australia in 2026. These initiatives support youth participation, sports, education, vocational training, community events, leadership development, and innovation projects.

Opportunities include Play On! Sports Vouchers for Queensland children, Queensland Youth Week grants, teaching scholarships, First Nations vocational programs, NSW youth development scholarships, and more. These programs are designed to help young people, families, and community groups access funding, engage in sport and education, and create stronger, more connected communities.

Whether you’re a young person looking for study or event support, a family seeking assistance with sport registration fees, or a community organisation planning youth-focused initiatives, there are programs available to help you succeed. Don’t miss your chance to apply for youth funding, grants for community events, and educational scholarships before the closing dates.

Tags / Keywords: Youth grants, youth funding Australia, community grants 2026, sports vouchers Queensland, youth scholarships, Queensland Youth Week, First Nations vocational programs, grants for community organisations, education funding, youth leadership programs.

Youth & Business Networking Events

21 Jan 2026 13:21

The Gold Coast Youth Expo was a powerful celebration of community, connection and opportunity for young people across the region. Held at the Southport Community Centre, the Expo brought together youth, families, community leaders and local businesses in a shared space designed to inspire, empower and uplift the next generation.  IMAGE: Azuria Jnr football Rep

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MISSION STATEMENT: - To create safe, supportive, innovative therapeutic pathways that honour difference, build confidence, and help people reconnect with themselves, each other, and their potential.

What we OFFER

  • Innovative and holistic therapy solutions

  • Personalized coaching and intuitive support

  • Empowering and uplifting youth

  • Creating community initiatives and safe, welcoming spaces

  • Integrated mind-body-energy practices

  • Engaging psychoeducation programs and interactive workshops

  • Advocacy, trauma-informed policies, and awareness campaigns

  • Community events and impactful fundraising efforts

 

 

Our services

We offer a comprehensive range of services including advocacy, counseling, youth programs, and holistic wellbeing support. Our NDIS-screened team is dedicated to providing accessible and evidence-informed care.

Counselling & Coaching - MIND 

Accessible. Flexible. Human.

We keep our fees intentionally low so young people, families, and individuals can access mental health support without financial stress.

Because wellbeing shouldn’t be a luxury — it’s a right.

Who We Support

  • Neurodivergent individuals

  • Teens and young adults

  • Parents & families

  • People seeking alternative or intuitive guidance

  • Anyone feeling unseen in traditional models

We work with stakeholders, families, schools, and community supports who honour a modern, collaborative, neurodiversity-affirming model of mental health.

We value partners who:

  • respect creative and adaptable therapeutic approaches

  • understand the importance of autonomy

  • support strengths-based care

  • prioritise the person, not the system

  • embrace innovation in wellbeing and education

Together, we build wraparound support that actually feels supportive.

Building resilience and fostering growth through engaging and supportive youth-focused programs.

Movement & Dance Clubs

Social Clubs VIRTUAL AND IRL

Holistic Wellbeing Therapies & Clubs - BODY

At Divergent Therapies & Solutions, these art processes are not “craft activities” — they are intentional, therapeutic tools grounded in sensory regulation, expressive therapy, and neurodiversity-affirming principles.

Each modality is chosen to meet the individual’s:
✔ sensory profile
✔ emotional state
✔ communication style
✔ strengths and needs
✔ personal goals

Nature & Outdoor Therapy

Nature is a powerful healer. Our outdoor sessions use sensory engagement and mindfulness to regulate stress, encourage reflection and grounding.  They aim to foster storytelling, and creative activities in natural spaces and connection with the land with live on. 

NDIS Support & Lived Experience Advocacy

NDIS-screened team delivering accessible, evidence-informed care.

Our clients can access support in ways that actually work for them, including:
✔ shorter, more frequent contacts
✔ longer, slow-paced sessions when needed
✔ text and check-in based support
✔ educational tools instead of clinical worksheets
✔ collaborative planning and shared note-taking
✔ self-paced strategies that build real-life capability

Suicide Awareness - Ending the Stigma

💛 A Personal Commitment to Life and Hope

The owner of Divergent Therapies & Solutions brings more than professional experience — they bring lived experience. Having faced the realities of suicide personally, they understand how fragile, complex, and precious life can be.

This lived experience fuels everything we do:

  • creating safe, accessible, and compassionate support

  • breaking stigma around mental health and suicide

  • empowering individuals to feel seen, heard, and valued

  • building communities where people want to stay and thrive

At Divergent Therapies & Solutions, our mission is simple but profound: to create a better world — a world people want to live in.

I want to change the systems that deny individuals compassion -  and create a powerful, Message that every life is worth fighting for as they all bring Experise on surviving.  

 

About us

Divergent Therapies & Solutions is based in Brisbane, Australia, and driven by a passion to provide advocacy, counselling, and wellbeing support. Our unique selling point is our team's lived experience, allowing us to deliver empathetic and effective care. We are committed to building safer, more resilient lives through evidence-informed practice and accessible support.

Networking & Lived Experience - Sharing & Stories makes for a Safer, Stronger Community.  

Lived experience refers to the firsthand insight gained from navigating mental health challenges, social adversity, or significant life events — and it plays a crucial role in creating safer, more connected communities. These perspectives offer understanding that goes beyond textbooks, helping to bridge gaps, reduce stigma, and promote compassionate support.

At Divergent Therapies & Solutions, we deeply value the strength, wisdom, and authenticity that lived experience brings. We embed these perspectives into our practice and use meaningful networking to build strong, resilient community connections. By collaborating with individuals, organisations, and support networks, we help shape environments where people feel supported, empowered, and understood.

We warmly welcome you to share your story and become part of our Lived Experience Network. Your voice matters, your journey has value, and together we can continue creating a community built on understanding, safety, and genuine human connection.

Divergent Therapies & Solutions is committed to the safety, wellbeing, and empowerment of all children and young people. We uphold a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse, neglect, exploitation, or any behaviour that compromises the safety or dignity of a child.

We are dedicated to:

  • Creating child-safe environments where children feel respected, heard, and supported.

  • Actively preventing harm by implementing robust policies, screening, training, and risk-management practices.

  • Responding immediately and appropriately to any concerns, disclosures, or allegations of harm.

  • Promoting children’s rights, participation, and agency in decisions that affect them.

  • Ensuring equity, inclusion, and cultural safety, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ young people, and children from diverse backgrounds.

  • Maintaining clear codes of conduct for staff, volunteers, and partners to ensure all interactions with children are safe, respectful, and developmentally appropriate.

  • Complying with all relevant legislation, including mandatory reporting requirements under Australian state and territory laws.

All staff, contractors, and representatives of Divergent Therapies & Solutions share a collective responsibility to protect children and uphold the highest standards of care, professionalism, and integrity.

We are committed to continuously reviewing and improving our child-safe practices to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every child and young person who engages with our services.

Divergent Therapies & Solutions acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, work, and provide support. We pay our deepest respects to First Nations Elders past and present, and we recognise the enduring strength, wisdom, and cultural knowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to provide to our communities.

We honour the resilience and ongoing connection First Nations peoples hold with Country, community, and culture. We acknowledge the impacts of colonisation, intergenerational trauma, and systemic inequality, and we commit to fostering culturally safe, inclusive, and respectful practices in all areas of our work.

Divergent Therapies & Solutions values First Nations voices, perspectives, and lived experiences. We strive to listen deeply, learn continuously, and collaborate meaningfully to support healing, empowerment, and genuine community partnership.

We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded. This always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land.

"Divergent Therapies & Solutions provided invaluable support to our family. Their understanding and compassionate approach made all the difference. We highly recommend their services."

The Smith Family

"The youth program at Divergent Therapies & Solutions has been life-changing for my child. The supportive environment and engaging activities have helped them build confidence and resilience."

Sarah Jones

"The advocacy counselling I received from Divergent Therapies & Solutions was exceptional. Their lived experience and professional expertise made me feel understood and supported every step of the way."

Michael Brown

Contact us

Location

Brisbane, Australia