• Starting the conversation

    We are often contacted by worried parents for advice on how to help their teens stay safe at Schoolies. Start the conversation early, ask questions, share important information and don't shy away from the 'awkward' topics.

  • Staying safe

    To help you actively play a part in setting your teen up for a healthy and safe Schoolies, below you will find some key areas and advice that we encourage you to discuss with your teen leading up to their end of year celebrations.

  • Relationships and wellbeing

    Schoolies is often promoted as the best week of your teen's life but this is often not the case.

  • Rights and responsibilities

    Regardless of where your teen is choosing to celebrate Schoolies, it's important that they are aware of the laws surrounding alcohol, drugs and responsible behaviour may be different in each state or country.

  • Support on the Gold Coast

    Every year, we put on the Safer Schoolies Gold Coast Response to ensure the holiday period is as safe as possible for school leavers, local residents, businesses and the community in general.

  • Schoolies in other locations

    Information about locations other than the Gold Coast and Airlie Beach.

Schoolies is often promoted as the best week of your teen’s life but this is often not the case. The human body is not designed to work without sleep, food or water so non-stop partying for seven days is unrealistic – no matter how fit and healthy your teen is.

At times, Schoolies can be overwhelming. If your teen is feeling distressed or not coping, they can head to the Emergency Treatment Centre (Gold Coast) for psychological and mental health support. Alternatively, they can call always call Triple Zero (000).

If your teen takes care of themselves and their mates, enjoy some downtime as well as the busy times, their Schoolies experience is sure to be memorable for all of the right reasons.

Top ten points to help your teen protect their relationships and wellbeing during Schoolies:

  1. Remind your teen to stay true to themselves and stick to their choices and what’s right for them. Don’t do something that they normally wouldn’t do just because their peers are doing it, and its Schoolies!
  2. Get your teen to chat with the friends they’ll be staying with about morals, values and acceptable behaviour to ensure they’re all on the same page during Schoolies.
  3. Value and protect their friendships - real friends should be respectful that everyone has different ideas on how they wish to celebrate
  4. Don’t make one wrong choice now that could possibly ruin a future
  5. The human body is not designed to party with no sleep for seven days straight. If a friend needs a night off partying, encourage your teen to be a good friend and stay in with them.
  6. Discuss expectations around Schoolies and explain that it’s completely normal that they may feel emotional highs and lows, and that it’s okay to not feel okay. Remind them to communicate with the people around them, and that there is always help available.
  7. If your teen is taking any form of prescription medication:
    • ensure they visit their GP to discuss the effects of mixing their medication with drugs and alcohol
    • make sure they let their friends know about the type of medication
    • make sure they’re friends know who they should contact in the event of an emergency
    • get them to set reminders in their phone to take their medication
  8. Suggest your teen opens up to their friends about any existing mental health issues and how they’re feeling leading up to Schoolies – their friends may also be feeling similar
  9. Get your teen to connect with a trusted adult - whether it be an aunty, family friend, teacher or parent. Touch base with them before Schoolies to let them know they’re their chosen person to contact during Schoolies if they need someone to talk to.
  10. Make sure your teen knows that they can call at any time of the day if they’re in trouble and that you’ll be there to help them.