A key driver in establishing adolescent and young adult (AYA) oncology as a unique discipline was the observation that conventional healthcare models often struggled to adequately address the complex medical, psychological, and social issues experienced by patients aged 15 to 25 years. Over the past decade, considerable progress has been made in Australia and other developed countries to develop novel models of care to deal with the unmet needs of young people with cancer. The principles underpinning these models include patient and family-focused care informed by an understanding of normal AYA development, enhancing existing adult or paediatric cancer services to meet the needs of AYA, and promoting collaboration between paediatric and adult oncologists. Common elements of AYA cancer care include establishing an AYA multidisciplinary team that integrates medical and psychosocial care, efforts to centralize complex care, providing access and equity for all AYA, promoting clinical trials, and helping facilitate transition to healthy survivorship. Internationally, a number of successful organizational approaches have evolved, with a consistent theme being that local program development depends on resources, infrastructure, and assessment of unmet needs within the region. In Australia, there is now a network of five Youth Cancer Services across the country. Funded by the federal and state governments and CanTeen Australia, these Youth Cancer Services have enabled the majority of 15 – 25-year old Australians with cancer to access AYA-specific multidisciplinary care. In addition to providing tailored psychosocial support, these services have aimed to optimise access to oncofertility services, enrolment on clinical trials, and co-ordination of the complex care needs of young people during active treatment and the transition to survivorship. The development of national networks has also provided opportunities for shared learning and approaches to evaluation.