Livewire: a place where
people just get it
"Thanks to everyone on here for giving me people to talk to,
and for giving me a chance to be myself around
people that isn't my family,
I'm so grateful that I have Livewire"
Livewire Member
Livewire: a place where people just get it
What is Livewire Online?
A place where people just get it. When you’re a teenager experiencing hospitalisation or living with an illness or disability, people don’t always get what you’re going through – and it can be tough for siblings too.
That’s why we created Livewire: community for young people who want a place to be themselves and connect with crew who understand.
It’s a place you can visit any time, whether at home or in hospital, knowing you’re amongst friends who care. A place to escape and have fun!
Check out our Instagram @starlight_livewire to see what’s on or FAQ’s for any questions 🙂
“My favourite moments of being on here have been everything. But I have enjoyed the chats, chat events, competitions, quiz nights and trivia nights. I really felt included and understood, it made me feel very happy and has opened the world to me on another perspective.”
Livewire Member
Who can join?
Teens aged 12-20 living in Australia or New Zealand who are experiencing hospitalisation or have a chronic health condition, serious illness or disability, and their siblings.
Simply create an account by clicking Join Now below, and as soon as our team can get in touch to confirm your details, you’ll have access to live chat!
Get to know us
Wondering what kind of people you’ll meet through Livewire? Here’s
a sneak peek at a few of our awesome members. From Christchurch
to Darwin, these peeps get you!
Wondering what kind of people you’ll meet through Livewire? Here’s a sneak peek at a few of our awesome members. From Christchurch to Darwin, these peeps get you!
KaitieKay
Tell us about yourself
Hi! I’m Kaitie, from SA, I have MPS type 1 Hurler Syndrome and I use they/them pronouns. I love to binge watch a good show: Friends, Grey’s Anatomy, and Heartstopper (just to name a few.) I have been dancing for the past 8 years and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Dance is my passion and it’s a great outlet when I need to clear my mind. I also love photography!
How long have you been on LW for?
My friend was telling me about livewire for months before I joined. The Starlight Captains told me about it a few times. My mum started to ask me if I had joined yet I kept telling her no, until she asked me daily, when eventually joined (2019) I wished I had joined sooner.
What does LW mean to you?
For me, Livewire has been the best experience! It’s rare to meet people who understand what it like to live with a complicated medical condition, but here, I’ve made friends who can relate to and understand all things medical. I’m a very introverted person when it comes to social situations, but Livewire has helped me come out my shell. I’ve met so many great people and have made many friends all because of this amazing ‘space’.
DistortionAxe
Tell us about yourself
I’m an aspiring chaos creator and a self-proclaimed deviser. I make stuff in the funnest (and funniest) way possible. Anything. Anything at all. I run DnD sessions on livewire on occasion. So grab a sheet and lessgo!
How long have you been on LW for?
I have been on livewire for nearly two years! I joined in May 2022 and it’s insane how long it has been. If you had said to 5 year old me in the PICU, that i’d find a website full of people just like me in their own, unique way. I would have said you were joking.
What does LW mean to you?
Everything. I’ve met people who I can talk to and relate when I say “haha, today my body woke up and chose violence.” Everyone has been through their own thing. Everyone can relate to each other and not have to worry about other people who are uninformed telling you that you’re overreacting. That means everything.
What would you tell someone thinking about joining?
Do it. Trust me. It is so worth it. We are the best group you’ll ever meet. I was terrified to join at first. I’d see a call from Starlight to confirm everything and I’d freak. The toughest decision was to pick up that phone and share my story.and it was worth it.(plus you get free stuff hehehehehehehehe)
Tay
Tell us about yourself
Heya, I’m Tay also know as Tayter, Tayzabeam and will respond to just about anything at this point 😛
I love spending my time at the beach and am always keen for an adventure with my sisters! I am very passionate about my love for iced lattes and enjoy creating macramé in my free time.
How long have you been on LW for?
I have been apart of the amazing Livewire community for nearly 2 years! I couldn’t imagine my life without LW now, it has truly changed it for the better.
What does LW mean to you?
Joining Livewire has been the best decision I have made, I joined when I was in a pretty dark spot, I had lost all my friends due to my health conditions and felt like an outsider. Livewire welcomed me with open arms and I have never looked back. It’s a place where everyone understands what it’s like to battle daily challenges that come along with living with a chronic illness or disability. There is always someone to chat to, a game to play, or a live stream to watch which makes you forget about your own struggles for a few moments
Is Livewire only online?
You’ll find Livewire in hospital wards across Australia too! As you probably know, being hospitalised can be tough – but our Livewire team is there to help.
Throughout the day, our Livewire facilitators swing by the wards just to say hey and see how you’re going. Then in the evening, Livewire takes over the Starlight Express Rooms to run activities and creative workshops. Digital art, stop-motion animation, music, cooking, writing… you name it!
It’s pretty chill and there’s no pressure to take part – but if you’re stuck in hospital or having treatment, it can be good to know Livewire is there.
If you haven’t come across us in the hospital you visit, you can still get to know us by simply jumping online. Plus we have weekly livestreams from different hospitals from cross Australia!
A bit about Starlight
Livewire is a program run by Starlight, who have been
brightening lives of seriously ill and hospitalised
children, teens and their families since 1988. We have
programs running across Australia, including our
well-known Starlight Wishes, and Livewire – our leading program
for teenagers across Australia… and now, New Zealand!
Livewire is a program run by Starlight, who have been brightening lives of seriously ill and hospitalized children, teens and their families since 1988. We have programs running across Australia, including our well-known Starlight Wishes, and Livewire – our leading program
for teenagers across Australia… and now, new Zealand!
FAQs
Below are some standard frequently asked questions. Click on the
bottom icons to find a more details pdf.
Easy! Just email Mia at [email protected] and she can help you out.
Livewire Online is a place for young people to connect, socialise, have fun and creatively express themselves.
It’s a safe online community that is moderated by Chat Hosts who promote positive distraction and peer to peer connection.
A place where people just get it.
Our Livewire Chat Hosts are online from 12pm-12am weekdays and 9am-12am weekends. There’s never any judgment so it’s a safe space for everyone.
Teens aged 12-20 living in Australia and New Zealand who are experiencing hospitalisation, have a chronic health condition, serious illness or disability, and their sibling can join.
A chronic health condition is one that last a long time or happens a lot. Serious illness is one that affects your day to day life, or requires hospitalisation, and includes mental health conditions.
Our members with a disability include those with intellectual disabilities however to get the most out of Livewire, it’s best for developmental age to be between 12 and 20 years.
It’s a place you can visit any time, whether at home or in-hospital, knowing you’re amongst friends who care.
Through live chat you can swap stories, ask for ideas, and talk about whatever’s going on in your life, from operations and MRIs, to your favourite interest and creative projects.
But that’s not all – we have activities happening on the daily like comps, live gameshows, special guests and more. Think of it as your escape hatch on those days you feel bored or just over it.
- Check out our Instagram for all the latest, but here’s a quick overview of what you can do:
- Connect and chat with other teens through fully-moderated live chat
- Learn something new through online workshops and creative competitions
- Pop an update on the Newsfeed
- Participate in weekly live streamed game shows
- Read articles created just for you
- Join a group and chat to other like–minded people
- Take part in events such as online quiz nights and meet special guests in the chat room like TV personalities, sports stars or well-known authors
Ensuring that Livewire remains safe and you feel supported is our top priority.
Livewire Facilitators are trained moderators, who are on Livewire to make sure you are always safe and having a positive experince.
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- Every Livewire member is validated to ensure they meet the membership criteria (age, diagnosis/health condition or sibling) by our membership services team when they sign up.
- Young people under 18 require proof of identification via their parents or guardian within the first two weeks of registration in order to gain ongoing unrestricted access to Livewire. People over 18 are contacted directly.
That’s easy!
- Instagram @starlight_livewire
- Facebook visit our Livewire Australia Page
- Tik Tok @starlightau
I’m aged 12-20
I’m a parent
I’m a Health Professional
Contact Us