Nkayla Afshariyan

Twenty years ago, Iceland had one of the highest rates of youth drug and alcohol consumption in Europe. Now, the country ranks as one of the lowest for youth drug and alcohol rates. And it's thanks to an evidence-based preventative model that will soon be rolled out in Australia. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation has announced it will trial the Planet Youth program in ten Australian locations over the next two-and-a-half years.

When was the last time you received a handwritten letter in the mail? I don't mean bills or letters from your local MP or a birthday card from your dentist; I mean thoughtful, personal cards from family and friends. I'm Australian-born and have lived most of my life in Australia, but my family are Kiwi and live in New Zealand. While most of my cousins, aunties and uncles use Facebook to keep in touch, my Grandpa doesn't.

With over three million Australians living below the poverty line, Christmas time and the holiday season can be disheartening for those who are facing tough financial situations. A few months ago Share the Dignity, an Australian charity organisation distributing sanitary items to vulnerable women and girls, held their August donation drive. Over 220,000 sanitary items were collected during that month, an "extraordinary number", founder Rochelle Courtney told Hack.