Created by young widowed people, for young widowed people.

Supporting & connecting young widowed people throughout Australia

We provide information, resources and community connection to young widowed people, to help them rebuild their lives and find new hope following the death of their partner.

Information, help, links & programs

Become a subscriber

Widowed support and information

Practical and helpful resources for widowed people aged up to their 50s.

Someone I care about is widowed

Information on how to support a young widowed person you care about.

Resources for widowed people

Helpful First Light resources and links to national and state services for widowed people.

Our programs

Links to a range of programs to support young widowed people.

You are never truly alone

For people who find themselves widowed under the age of 60, it’s common to feel that they are alone in their experience. At First Light, we make sure you’re never truly alone. There is a network that is here for you.  While every experience is unique, there are more people currently navigating this path than you may think.

We have a whole community of young widowed people going through their own individual journeys after losing their partner. Our members walk side by side, together and are supported by one another, through camaraderie and understanding.

Australians under the age of 55 are widowed
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Australians under the age of 45 are widowed
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of widowed people are at high risk of mental health complications
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Members Australia-wide
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Newly Widowed Packs sent
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About First Light

We exist to connect you to the programs, community and information that may be able to help you in this journey.

First Light is Australia’s only charity providing national support to young widowed people from all backgrounds and relationship structures. We also guide loved ones of widowed individuals in providing support during widowhood and strive to raise awareness about, and remove the stigma around, the experience of grief.

Our close-knit community of young widowed people support each other in a safe and understanding environment. 

Camp Widow® changed my grief

“I have a space for my grief, I processed what I had been through more, I got to speak my person’s name, and I had deep and meaningful conversations with other people who had been through similar experiences. I was validated, my grief was validated, and I was well held and supported.” — Melissa, community member.

become a member

Join our community

We offer two membership options for those wanting to join our community.

Community membership

Community membership is free and will give you access to useful information, resources and programs. You’ll also be added to our mailing list, to keep up-to-date on our news and programs, and have the opportunity to connect with other young widowed people.

Gold membership

Gold members support First Light with a fee of $100 annually, which we use to expand programs and connect young widowed people to support. It also gives you greater involvement opportunities, such as voting, committee nominations, and volunteering.

How you can support us

We can’t support widowed people without help. Please join us in making a difference and protect the longevity of First Light.

Donate now

Your tax-deductible donations help us provide resources, fund events and workshops, and serve our community. You can easily cancel recurring donations anytime. We greatly appreciate and thank you for supporting us.

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Volunteer for us

Our beautiful volunteers help us to deliver the valuable programs and resources that support our community of young widowed people. We have a variety of in-person and virtual opportunities available.

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Sponsorship

You can support our special work and community through our corporate partnership packages. Support from sponsors help our independent charity greatly.

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Fundraise for us

As a not-for-profit charity, fundraising is crucial for us to support our young widowed community. Join us as a fundraising hero through an online event or gift-giving link.

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Camp Widow®

The fourth Camp Widow Australia will take place in Brisbane at the Hotel Grand Chancellor from Friday 24 May to Sunday 26 May 2024.

Camp Widow Australia is supported by social-based networking events on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, Friday and Saturday lunches and Sunday brunch. This provides an opportunity for attendees to form support connections in addition to the presentations and workshops included in the program.

News and events

Meet our Founding Directors

Hope, community, understanding

Join our community for access to information, resources, events, and a network of widowed people for peer support. Joining is free, with options to become a financial supporter to keep us running and helping others.