An $80,000 investment from The Lottery Office is helping Canteen Australia build lasting support for young people and families impacted by cancer across the Northern Territory, bringing specialist care, connection and opportunities closer to home.
For young people facing cancer, or dealing with a family member’s cancer diagnosis, access to emotional support and a sense of connection can make an enormous difference. But for families living in rural and remote communities, geography can create additional barriers to getting the help they need.
Recognising this challenge, The Lottery Office donated $80,000 to Canteen Australia to strengthen its services across the Northern Territory, helping ensure young people impacted by cancer can access support regardless of where they live.
The funding has helped Canteen establish a permanent local workforce, deepen relationships with community and health organisations, and create opportunities for young Territorians to connect with others who understand what they are going through.
Bringing Specialist Support Closer to Home
Across the Northern Territory, dispersed communities, limited access to specialist services and workforce shortages can make delivering consistent support particularly challenging.
Canteen’s 2026 Partner Impact Report highlights how The Lottery Office’s funding has helped address these barriers by supporting two permanent Northern Territory-based roles:
A psychosocial clinician, providing counselling and emotional support to young people and families affected by cancer
A programs officer with experience working in the remote Aboriginal community of Wadeye.
Having a dedicated local team means Canteen can build trust, develop stronger community relationships and provide more consistent support, rather than relying on occasional outreach.
For families already navigating the emotional and practical challenges of cancer, this local presence can make it easier to access the support they need.
Growing Connections and Reaching More Young People
The impact of this investment is already evident in Canteen’s growing reach across the Territory.
Referrals to Canteen in the Northern Territory increased by 66% between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years, demonstrating the demand for support when services become more accessible.
Once connected, young people are also engaging strongly, with 70% consistently attending Canteen programs and events.
During the past financial year, Canteen delivered eight recreational programs in Darwin, offering young people opportunities to connect with peers, find emotional support and enjoy experiences with others who understand the challenges of having cancer affect their lives.
These connections can be especially valuable for young people living outside major centres, where specialist services and opportunities to meet others with similar experiences may be harder to access.
Creating Opportunities Beyond Local Communities
The benefits of the donation extend beyond counselling and recreational activities. The Lottery Office’s support has also helped open doors for young Territorians to participate in national leadership and support programs.
For the first time in four years, three Darwin-based young people joined Canteen’s Leadership Program. Another young person completed Braving Training and became an organisational peer mentor, while a further participant completed Leading Voices, representing Darwin through youth advocacy and media engagement.
The investment has also helped reduce the barriers created by distance. Ten Northern Territory young people were supported to attend national Canteen programs, including retreats, therapeutic activities, leadership opportunities and survivor-specific programs. Five young people were registered for the South Australia and Northern Territory BASE Camp.
These experiences help young people build confidence, develop leadership skills and connect with others who understand their circumstances, ensuring that living in a regional or remote community does not mean missing out on valuable opportunities.
Supporting the Communities that Matter
For The Lottery Office, supporting Northern Territory communities is a meaningful part of its commitment to giving back.
As Jaclyn Wood, CEO, said in the report, “The Northern Territory has been part of The Lottery Office's story from the start, so investing in Territory communities matters to us.”
Every young person impacted by cancer deserves access to timely, specialist support, no matter their postcode and according to Canteen Australia’s CEO, Siona Hardy,
‘The Lottery Office has helped us put down real roots in the Northern Territory. A local team means young people impacted by cancer can get support close to home, from people who know their community.’
This partnership has helped turn belief into action, created stronger connections, greater opportunities and more accessible support for young people and families across the Northern Territory.
