Our Teams

What is my role:
I am responsible for the strategic leadership of the organisation; managing overall operations, resources and stakeholders; link to the Board of Directors; and ensuring we have an effective team and culture providing quality and sustainable impact for young people who face disadvantage.

What do I like about working for Project Youth:
I get to go to work every day and make a difference to the lives of young people we serve. Also, staff bringing their dogs to work – dog colleagues are essential!

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
I am petrified of flying yet I still flew into the most deadly airport in the world in Lukla, Nepal.

What is my role:
I oversee the day to day operations and programs run by Project Youth, including HR duties, such as attracting talent and setting training standards and hiring procedures. I also oversee budgets and expenditure, payroll and I help to apply for funding

What do I like about working for Project Youth:
The friendly staff I work with and the diversity and range of options available to young people.

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
I used to work on cars for a living.

What is my role:
I act as the Financial Controller for Project Youth, overseeing all finance and accounting functions for the organisation

What do I like about working for Project Youth:
The staff genuinely care about the clients and each other and work together as a team. I love to hear the differing perspectives and work towards sustainable solutions for both the clients and Project Youth.

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
I act all tough skiing, wakeboarding, surfing, have even skydived, scuba dived and hang glided but am the easiest person to scare - I have actually been caught on more than one occasion jumping at my own shadow.

Job title
Funding and partnership manager

What i do at PY
Secure and build on relationships with our supporters and secure funding to run programs.

What i like about my job
I like that every day I see the difference in the lives of young people who are being supported by PY. I love that I can walk into Café y our wonderful social enterprise being run and staffed by young people, it is definitely my happy place. The young people we work with remind me that by supporting and believing in our youth no matter what their circumstances in life they are our future and it’s a bright one with these incredible young people.

Fun fact no one knows about you ?
I am a bit of a open book but something people may not know about me is that I was homeless living in London in the 90's and slept in a squat for 6 months and lined up every day at a employment agency with hundreds of other travellers hoping to be picked for a days work. I never got picked.

What is my role:
I'm the Youth and Family Support Worker at Project Youth. This means, I work with 12 - 16 year olds who are at risk of homelessness, and their families. The main indicators of this is typically: family breakdown, disengagement from education, mental health concerns, legal issues and increased Police contact. I'm often the first person the young person would meet from Project Youth and building rapport and relationship is a key part of my role. Our Drop In program helps me do this, as well as, meeting young people at their family homes or in the community. My primary goals are the safety of the young person and the young person having connections outside of the family unit.

What do I like about working for Project Youth:
I love what Project Youth is to the young people. The young people talk to us. They trust us when they don't trust many people in their lives.

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
I used to have a frullet… a front mullet.

What do you do at PY?
Practice Lead of Lived Expertise
What do you enjoy about your job?
Being able to support young people who are employed by Project Youth in a lived expertise role and watching them grow and built confidence in their roles.
Fun fact that no one knows about you?
I used to be a Dance Teacher !

What is my role:

As the Social Impact Lead here at Project Youth, I work with a team of industry leads, and training workers to provide training opportunities with real life work placements and additional job readiness support for young people to enter the workforce. This team also currently consists of two social enterprises being CafeY and Soundwave Studios – my time is spent investing in these opportunities so we can continue to employ and train young people, and expanding our portfolio to continue offering meaningful jobs that support young people to break cycles of disadvantage.

What do I love about working at Project Youth:

Innovation. I love that I work with an organisation that is so open to doing things differently. We are always encouraged to think out of the box, and do blue sky thinking. My favourite thing that has come from this is having 7 Lived Expertise Roles in the organisation, ensuring that everything we do has voices of young people behind it.

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
Everyone knows this about me – but I think it is the most important part of me. I am an obsessed dog mum of 2 and a rad Aunty of 5 incredibly special nephews.

What is my role:
I instigate family therapy sessions with teenagers and their families. Sometimes I meet teenagers or parents individually, but usually I see them together as a family. The purpose of this work is to enable young people to have the support and encouragement of their family growing up.

What do I like about working for Project Youth:
The thing I love about working for Project Youth is the way we all work together using with our individual skills, resources and interests. Every one of the staff is passionate about young people and I love how we work with each other for their well-being.

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
My very favourite thing in the world to do is tap dancing! I started as a kid; took lessons again as a grown up mother and sometimes I still have a little tap when I think no one is watching.

What is my role:
As an early intervention worker, my role involves facilitating programs and developing positive relationships with schools and service providers in the Bayside and Georges River area.

What do I like about working for Project Youth:
I like that no day is ever the same. I am passionate about developing cultural programs and using cultural connection to engage with young people. I also appreciate how Project Youth adapts to us as workers and allows for flexibility in our work with young people.

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
All my daughter’s names start with T. Ohhh and I love RnB.

What is my role:
I am a Homeless Youth Assistance Program (HYAP) Youth Worker providing early intervention support to prevent homelessness. I also provide court support and coordinate Drop In at the Miranda facility. I am based at Project Youth's Menai office.

What do I like about working for Project Youth:
I love how passionate all the staff are and how the collaboration of hard work from staff and young people allow for the youth to grow and make positive impacts in their lives.

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
For 8 years I worked in shows across Australia dancing in a cow costume.

What is my role:
I am an Early Intervention Youth Support Worker based at our Menai office. I work with young people aged 12-24 in the Sutherland Shire & St. George areas who are at risk of homelessness. I am also the co-ordinator of our "Kick Start" early morning fitness program for young men.

What do I like about working for Project Youth:
I love working together with young people, learning about them, and seeing them achieve their goals. I love that every day is different and you never know what is going to happen! I also love working with a fabulous team of people!

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
I love going to rock concerts and rocking out up the front with the crowd.

What is my role:

I am a HYAP youth worker which simply means that I support young people 12-15 years old. My role is super broad - I can meet young people at their schools, their homes or wherever they are most comfortable. I assist with whatever their goals may be like finding a job, getting mental health support or even joining a gym. Through this I can support families more broadly as well. I also help to run our Emotion Skills group and our Grandfamilies Peer Support Group. I can be found at our Menai youth centre when I am not driving around the Shire or St George.

What do I like about working for Project Youth:
I love our commitment to learning, I love that everyday is different and I work part of a team that I can always lean on for support. Most importantly I value the time I spend with young people and the trust we build together.

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
I was in Dolly Magazine as a young teen. My 1 second of fame.

What is my role:
Youth & Family Worker

What do I like about working for Project Youth:
Project Youth focus on young people, family and staff wellbeing.
Everyone is passionate about ending youth homelessness and have a great team ethic, who work together within their various sectors for a holistic approach.

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
I’ve lived on 3 different continents

What is my role:

My role in Project Youth is in the Prevention team- working at our centre with young people directly within Project Educate. This program provides support for 10 young people to complete their ROSA. My role is to support students to address barriers to attending and completing required schoolwork. Alone with any other wellbeing related issues that are impact student health and wellbeing.

What do I like about working for Project Youth:

What I really like about working at Project Youth is having the privilege to witness young people’ s journey, development, and self -growth.

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
In High school I was part of a rap dance group- that got to preform on a local children show in the Illawarra.

What is my role:
I work in transitional housing for 16-24 year olds.

What do I like about working for Project Youth:
I love being able to walk alongside young people as they find their way in the world.

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
I can’t bear to watch horror movies.

What is my role:
I am a youth support worker at one of our crisis refuges.

What do I like about working for Project Youth:
I like having the opportunity to meet young people from all different walks of life, to get to know their personalities and support them to achieve their goals is the greatest privilege. The young people that I work with make me laugh every single day!

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
I’ve been singing since I was four years old and spent my early teens doing musicals - but good luck getting that footage!

What is my role:
I work in short term housing and assist young people with their individual goals.

What do I like about working for Project Youth:
I like working at Project Youth as I get to watch young people strive and become their true unapologetic selves.

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
My favourite feeling in the world is walking on grass with no shoes (as long as it’s not bindi season).

Stella - Youth Support Worker

What you do at Project Youth ?
I work at Penny's Crisis Refuge. At the refuge we provide safe accommodation and support young people, aged 14-19, to achieve their goals through education, financial, employment, and mental health connections (just to name a few!).

What you like about your job ?
I love being able to share experiences with young people, seeing them grow and flourish! It's amazing to be able to support young people to achieve their goals and see them gain independent living skills and longer-term accommodation.

Fun fact about you ?
When i worked in the Film industry, I once interrupted Darth Vader on the set of Star Wars and the Director, George Lucas, was very unimpressed

Hayley

Job title
Tenancy and Property Worker

What you do at Project Youth ?
I am a property and tenancy worker for Project Youth. I support YP during their tenancies and maintain the properties.

What you like about your job ?
I like that Project Youth offers young people the support and programs to sustain a tenancy. I love seeing the young people develop and thrive whilst in the program.

Fun fact about you ?
I am a massive Everton Fan and never miss a game.

Katie – Transitional Youth Worker

What you do at Project Youth ?

I work in the transitional housing team, which allows me to work alongside young people as they learn and develop new life skills that they will be able to hold on to and carry in to the coming chapters of their lives

What you like about your job ?

I love being able to see the growth and development in the lives of the young people I work with

Fun fact about you ?

I used to play bass guitar in a punk band !!

Maddy

Job Title: Youth Support Case Worker

What do I do: I work at The Bridge crisis refuge. We house young people aged 14-19 years old and assist them to create goals, and help to connect with the relevant services or programs to boost them towards achieving these goals. We strive to build up their confidence and independence through a living skills program that gives them the flexibility to work on what skills matter to them, and that gets them closer toward their next step of accommodation; such as independent rental.

What I like about my job: I love that everyday I come to work is different and unique, and that I have the opportunity to work and connect with so many wonderful bright young people. I enjoy seeing their growth and celebrating their achievements, as well as seeing them advocate for their futures and issues that are important to them. I like being able to provide them a pitstop along the way that gives them the time and tools to create change, and help them realise their capabilities and strengths.

A fun fact about me: When I was a teenager I was incredibly accident prone, I broke all 10 of my fingers and my knuckles didn’t heal properly which means I can pop them in and out without feeling anything!

My role is transitional support worker

What I like about working for Project Youth is there is a lot of different opportunities to grow and learn within the organisation. I also like the fact that each staff members and young person’s thoughts are highly considered when making decisions.

Something nobody knows about me is that I really enjoy fashion and boxing.

What is my role: Crisis Refuge Youth Worker.

What do I like about working for Project Youth: Assisting young people in realising their full potential, while also providing stable and safe accommodation. This in combination with seeing a young person tick of their goal list at the end of a crisis stay will never lose it's ability to make me happy.

Tell us something nobody knows about you: I can lick my elbow

This is Gus!

Gus works as a Youth Support Worker at the Bridge Crisis Refuge.

What do you do?

We provide young people with a safe supervised space to live. Where we support them to learn to live with others and develop appropriate living skills whilst we help them to find appropriate accommodation. During their stay we support young people to work towards their personalised goals whilst navigating any personal health/issues or relationship breakdowns they may be having at the time.


What do you like about your job?

I like the moment when you have finally ‘broke the ice’ with a young person and they are comfortable to allow you to support them and get to know them on a personal level. I like the daily interactions and working with young people face-to-face, I especially enjoy the playful banter from young people 😊. I like supporting young people to complete practical tasks they will need for the future be it cooking, cleaning or just getting up out of bed each day. I not only like seeing the progress they make during their time at the refuge but take comfort in knowing the young person was safe and supported during this part of their life and our refuge team played a small part in that.

Fun fact?

I support the Bulldogs NRL team and also have a British bulldog named ‘Lola’

Everyday I get to make a positive difference in a young person’s life.
As the youth support worker at Project Educate, every day is different and is varied. I am constantly learning, connecting, and building relationships with young people which I love.

What i do at PY ?

Designing therapeutic music programs & music industry employment pathways for the young people of Project Youth

What i like about my job ?

I like the idea of giving back and generating new opportunities for young people. I like handing over my skillset & experience to people who need it the most

Fun fact
I’m a lifelong Cronulla Sharks fan

My role here is a peer mentor I am also apart of the social impact team

What do I like about working for Project Youth: I love working here because I get to speak to young people with a range of different situations and I get to be a support person for them and watch them change and succeed.

Tell us something nobody knows about you. I used to be a young person here at project youth so I have first hand experience of what it feels like to come here.

What is my role:
Lived Experience Peer Worker

What do I like about working for Project Youth:
I love that Project Youth have supported me from being a young person needing homelessness support to now being on the other side of it, being given the opportunity to use my experiences to help other young people who may be facing similar situations.

Tell us something nobody knows about you:
I’ve broken 2 bones in the space of 1 month- you could say I’m very accident prone

What does YPAC mean to me ?

I love that’ve been given the opportunity to use my voice and lived experience to create real change and honestly represent young people in our service.

What does YPAC mean to me ?

YPAC is an opportunity for young people struggling with homelessness to have a voice they also have a safe space to feel vulnerable in and receive guidance from other young people that can relate to them having experienced homelessness in the past.

What does YPAC mean to me ?

I love how valued and how I’m not viewed as an educationally inexperienced but having lived experience that can help others knowing I helped someone even if its without them knowing is all i have ever wanted to do.

What does YPAC mean to me ?

It’s a great opportunity to amplify young people’s voices advocate for their needs and drive meaningful change.

What does YPAC mean to me ?

I think it’s the chance to speak our mind freely and make a real difference is why it means the most to me and also having such an amazing team with all different walks of life so we don’t miss any gaps is great too.

To me YPAC means empowerment and Progress. I believe that YPAC champions these values by actively connecting young people with the decisions which affect them.