Out of around 35,000 people reported missing in Australia each year, 20,000 are young people – that makes youth, particularly females aged between 13 and 17 years, one of the key groups at risk of going missing in Australia.

As part of its efforts to reduce the number of young people that go missing each year, and the impact this has on many others, the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC) is supporting National Youth Week in 2010 to raise awareness of these important issues.

Through its sponsorship of the event, the NMPCC is aiming to engage with young people to encourage them to reach out to the available support networks if they themselves are experiencing difficulties, and to inform them about how they can help support friends and family who may be at risk of going missing.