Bring MAKINGtheLINK to Your School!
We are inviting 60 secondary schools across Australia to deliver MAKINGtheLINK in Term 3 or 4, 2026 or Term 1–3, 2027. Participating schools will receive free access until end of 2029.
Empower Students to Seek Help
with Confidence
MAKINGtheLINK is an evidence-based resource for Year 9 students that aims to equip students with the skills and confidence to support friends and peers to seek appropriate help for mental health concerns.
Join Program
WHY HELP-SEEKING MATTERS
Young people need better pathways to help.
Most young people want to help their friends — they just don't know how. MAKINGtheLINK gives them the language, the confidence, and the skills to do exactly that.
18 Years
The average delay in seeking help
1 in 10
Young Australians struggle with a substance use disorder
Peers as Helpers
Young people often turn to their peers for help
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
What Is MAKINGtheLINK?
Designed for Teachers. Built for Classrooms. Curriculum Aligned
Structured Program
Five comprehensive lessons with clear guidance and training for teachers, integrated into existing state or national curriculum.
Pedagogical Alignment
The program aligns with best practice, State and Australian Curriculum and current research on health promotion.
Co-Designed with Schools
Co-designed with secondary school teachers and Year 9 students to reflect real classroom environments and adolescent experiences.
Students learn to recognise when a friend needs help,
how to have that conversation, and where to find the right support.
OVERVIEW AND AIM
Why This Program Exists
MAKINGtheLINK was built on a simple but urgent insight: most young Australians who need help don't look for it — and when they do, they turn to their friends first. This program was co-designed with teachers and Year 9 students to change that.
Prof Dan Lubman AM
Director, Turning Point, Eastern Health · Monash Addiction Research Centre
We know that many adolescents are reluctant to seek professional help for mental health concerns. Strengthening help-seeking behaviours is therefore a central priority of MAKINGtheLINK.
Prof Dan Lubman AM
Director, Turn to Me · Monash University
GET STARTED
How to Get Started
Three steps. Fully supported at every stage.
Join the Program
Express interest or create a teacher account. Our team reviews your application and contacts you — usually within a week.
Complete Training
Self-paced online modules with optional face-to-face sessions. Covers program goals, lesson structure, and delivery tips.
Deliver 5 Lessons
Deliver five structured lessons. All activities and student resources are included in the platform.
EXPRESS INTEREST
Ready to bring MAKINGtheLINK to your school?
If you are interested in delivering MAKINGtheLINK to your class or school, complete the form — no commitment required.
Open EOI Form
We're recruiting 60 secondary schools to deliver MAKINGtheLINK in Term 3 or 4, 2026.
Participating schools will receive free access until end of 2027.
PROGRAM FIT
Is MAKINGtheLINK Right for Your School?
MAKINGtheLINK teaches and empowers students to:
- 1
Recognise when a friend may need help
- 2
Understand the different types of helpers available
- 3
Identify and address barriers to seeking professional support
- 4
Support a friend to access appropriate help
- 5
Locate and use reliable sources of support
It is developmentally appropriate and realistic for a 4+1 lesson sequence, structured to build → practise → consolidate learning over time.