Prevention of Gender-Based Violence Youth Advisory Group

Annika is a Year 11 student living and studying in Mackay, Queensland. She plays rugby league and was a member of both the 122nd Army Cadet Unit in Mackay, and the 132nd Army Cadet Unit in Yeppoon. Annika is passionate about counteracting gender-based violence and is looking forward to working with her fellow youth advisory group members to raise awareness and make a difference.

Annika has attended four different High Schools across Mackay, Brisbane and Yeppoon, and has seen the different ideas and behaviours towards these issues reflected by different demographics of students and is willing provide insight based on her own personal experiences.

Danielle is a passionate advocate for the prevention of gender-based violence, child protection, and mental health. She brings a strong foundation in youth advocacy, trauma-informed care, and survivor-led initiatives to her role on the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence Youth Advisory Council.

With experience as a Suicide Prevention Peer Worker with NSW Health, a Survivor-Led Adult College Member for the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse, and a member of the Bravehearts Youth Advisory Council, Danielle has driven survivor-centred change by amplifying the voices of those impacted by violence and trauma.

Her advocacy also extends to inclusive education policies through her work with the NSW Department of Education Disability Strategy Reference Group, alongside her efforts with Bravehearts to support children and families affected by child sexual abuse and prevent future harm.

Danielle is committed to addressing the root causes of gender-based violence and supporting systemic change to create safer communities. She hopes to contribute her lived experience, leadership, professional expertise, and passion for justice to the council’s efforts, focusing on empowering young people and fostering intersectional approaches to prevention.

Declan is an aspiring nurse from Toowoomba. He is a keen cricket player, and a young person invested in the youth of Australia. Through the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence Youth Advisory Group, Declan hopes to represent the average young man, bringing his own experiences and views to help empower young people.

Declan has a particular interest in improving experiences within the education system and reducing barriers to transition to meaningful employment. He also has an interest in how policy and processes impact on health and well-being, and how young people might be best supported to have positive experiences in our communities.

Declan is looking forward to participating in the Advisory Group.

With his lived expertise, Gavyn advocates for a more equitable world for those who face both direct and subconscious discrimination within society. With a keen interest in international relations, East Asian culture, and public policy, he brings a global outlook to shape strategies aimed at ending violence against women and children.

Gavyn looks forward to continuing to work with a diverse range of Australians to create pragmatic solutions to gender-based violence, with a personal focus on education and multiculturalism.

In his free time, Gavyn enjoys clay sculpting, music, and learning languages.

Through becoming a part of the Gender-Based Violence Youth Advisory Group, Jessica hopes to become an active advocate for young people. Jessica is looking forward to collaborating with other young voices who can effectively communicate to a diverse range of backgrounds.

While growing up as a young woman, being filtered through 5 different secondary Educations, both co-ed and all-girls, Jessica was exposed to extremely diverse socio-economic conditions across the different schools. As a result, she became conscious of the different beliefs and behaviours reflected in a large proportion of young people. She was also able to gather a perspective on the different motives for schools across Queensland on how they approach the subject of violence against women and children.

Jessica hopes to become a voice in helping all individuals understand that violence comes in many different forms and is something that someone is taught, not born with.

Kane lives and works in Echuca, Victoria, having relocated from Tumbarumba, New South Wales. His experiences growing up in a regional town have shaped his passion for youth advocacy and community development.

In 2022, Kane was appointed to the NSW Government Regional Youth Taskforce, where he directly advised the Minister for Regional Youth. The following year, he served as a mentor for the Taskforce and worked as a Wellbeing Officer at his former high school. In 2023, Kane completed a Diploma of Youth Work and began his role as the Youth Community Development Officer at Campaspe Shire Council.

In this role, Kane manages programs including the Youth Action Group, youth forums, and events like LGBTQIA+ celebrations and youth expos. He is passionate about ensuring regional youth have their voices heard across all levels of government and creating opportunities that reflect their unique experiences and needs.

Outside of work, Kane enjoys travelling, long walks, reading and is currently completing a Bachelor of Social Science.

Suriana was originally based in Byron Bay but moved to Canberra for school. She is currently in her second year studying a Bachelor of Health Science at ANU. Suriana is passionate about youth advocacy, devoting most of her time to assisting young people in various areas such as mental health, education and rights.

Suriana’s goal is to promote more awareness of gender-based violence in youth, especially in university and high school. Having experience in struggling to access support in university and her home community, she hopes to improve youth access to resources and support for youth.

From Western Australia, Taryn recently relocated to Canberra for 2025 to study Public Policy and Data Analytics at the Australian National University.

They have been involved with advocacy in all levels of government since 2022, being part of their local city’s (City of Melville) Youth Steering Group and serving as the 2024 Secretary for Youth Pride Network, the peak body for LGBTQIA+ youth (aged 12-25) in WA.  

In the second year of the Advisory Group, Taryn will again bring their lived experience as a queer person with a psychosocial disability to the group, and advocate for intersectional approaches and resources which are culturally inclusive.

They are helping to run the celebration for International Day of People with Disabilities in the ACT in 2025 and are looking forward to being able to create a safer future for all Australians, especially those from marginalised communities.

In their free time, Taryn enjoys working with epoxy and UV resin, ice skating, and watching Doctor Who.

Tequeah is currently in her first year of a Bachelor of Law and Justice and Bachelor of Criminology. She has worked as Youth (Lived Experience) Advisory Consultant for several years now and during this time, she has collaborated with various organisations such as the Create Foundation, Bravehearts Foundation, The Y Foundation, The Butterfly Foundation, ANROWS, and Full Stop Australia.

She has worked with government on numerous occasions including consulting on legislation amendments and serving as the sole youth advisor with DSS for the drafting of the current National Action Plan for Domestic Violence 2022-32. She has also addressed Parliament on several occasions, both federal and state levels. She has done extensive work within child protection, mental health and FDSV Prevention sectors.

Tequeah is passionate about making a meaningful impact and is dedicated to ensuring that the voices of young people are heard and valued. During her term with the advisory group for the prevention of gender-based violence, Tequeah aims to advocate for comprehensive support systems, promote education and awareness initiatives, and work towards creating safer environments for all individuals.