Working partner: Department of Social Services
About
The Safe and Supported Youth Advisory Group provides advice to the working partner on Safe and Supported, the national framework for protecting Australia’s children. They meet regularly to:
- design and deliver policies and programs for young Australians in the context of Safe and Supported
- advise Department of Social Services on how to improve its programs that support vulnerable youth.
Members
James’s mission in life is to help people and in the Safe and Supported Youth Advisory Group he hopes he can achieve that by sharing his experiences and help develop amazing programs and work with an awesome team.
One day at a time, changing the future for the better.
Jordy is a youth advocate from Alice Springs. He was on the NT Youth Round Table in 2022 and was a 2023 NT Youth Week Ambassador.
Jordy is a strong advocate for people living with disability, as well as mental health and youth rights.
As a victim of bullying, he also advocates for greater support and protection for victims of bullying.
Kathleen is a young Indonesian woman from Western Australia who has lived and learned experience in the child protection system.
She is currently working and studying in the child protection and community development space while multitasking the joys of single parenting.
Having experienced poverty and abuse for 20 years, she is passionate about creating meaningful social change that protects vulnerable communities that aren’t heard or represented in the spaces that are most important.
Kathleen hopes that her ongoing involvement with the Safe and Supported Youth Advisory Group will create a continuum of opportunities and spaces for the vulnerable and underrepresented to be empowered and supported to live safe and enriched lives.
Samantha lives in a beautiful coastal beach town in Tasmania, with her fiancé. Her favourite nickname is 'Aunt Sammi'.
She works in child and youth mental health and community services, with a background in early childhood education and nursing.
Samantha is passionate about advocating for young people and pursuing her dreams of a brighter future for everybody, no exceptions.
Samantha looks forward to another term with the Safe and Supported Youth Advisory Group, working diligently and zealously alongside her peers and government to continue their work on the Safe and Supported Framework in 2024.
Sarah is from the Sunshine Coast where she is graduating this year with a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Literature.
Together with a passion for helping others, she has an interest in humanities, research, policy, and human rights.
She endeavours to accomplish effective and sustainable changes to the services, accessibility, policies, and programs provided to children and young people through the Department of Social Services.
Moreover, Sarah wants to focus on how young people’s voices, experiences, and ideas, can meaningfully contribute to improving the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.
Sharnya is a mother of two beautiful children. She has recently finished her Certificate IV in Community Service and is currently enrolled at university in an associate degree in Allied Health and Community Support.
She is very passionate about making sure children and young people do not slip through the cracks.
She is hoping to voice her opinion on what changes need to be made to help children and youth access the support they need.