We’re a youth-focussed, peer-led group for discussion and support around challenging familial relationships
Project Chosen Family offers a safe space for youths to discuss challenging familial relationships, including boundary setting, family dynamics and establishing safety.
Our mission is to tackle the added barriers to early intervention in help-seeking, establishing safety, and breaking intergenerational cycles of violence faced by youths of all backgrounds. We draw strength from harnessing the lived and living experiences of participants whose voices and contributions enrich, empower and sustain our groups.
How we are creating safe spaces
Our pilot program was launched in 2025 with support from YWCA’s Great Ydeas Microgrants Program. It was initially designed for female‑identifying and gender diverse multicultural young people aged 18 to 25 who were navigating challenging familial relationships.
As we move into our next phase, we are adapting the pilot to be delivered within existing youth programs. Each program will be co‑designed with the young people who participate, ensuring it is relevant, culturally responsive, and accessible to youths from all backgrounds.
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Project Chosen Family partners with existing youth programs because these services are already trusted touchpoints in young people’s lives. Rather than duplicating what the sector provides, we complement it by creating early, safe opportunities for young people to explore challenging family dynamics and understand pathways to support. This approach strengthens the system by meeting young people where they already are and reducing barriers to early intervention.
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You can reach out to us through our contact page. We are committed to collaborative partnerships grounded in lived experience. We are flexible in our approach and look forward to working with your organisation to create safe conversations.
Meet our Founder
Lew Ching Yip
As a queer woman of color and first-generation migrant, Lewching draws upon lived and living experiences of family violence and the impacts of intergenerational trauma. At 19 years old, Lewching moved to Ngunnawal Country from Singapore and started her recovery with little understanding of all that she had fled from.
Lewching is a fierce advocate for suicide and violence prevention from a cultural and intersectional lens. Outside her advocacy work, Lewching is a violence prevention practitioner with cross-sector experience across early intervention mental health, student wellbeing, youth homelessness, and suicide prevention. Lewching is passionate about decolonizing systems and services to promote cultural safety across mainstream supports for CARM communities.
Connect with Lew Ching
Get in touch
For general inquiries or further information about Project Chosen Family, please feel free to contact us using the form.