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James is the CEO of Mission Australia, a national charity that operates a diverse range of community services throughout the country. James has held various roles with Mission Australia since 2010 and has an extensive background in community services. Under his leadership, the organisation established its 2020-25 Strategy with the goal to end homelessness, and ensure that people and communities in need can thrive. 

In this conversation, we discuss James' experience in the social services sector across Australia and the United Kingdom, the importance of social and affordable housing in addressing homelessness and how technology is disrupting the not-for-profit sector. If you would like to learn more about Mission Australia, please visit their website.

Timestamps:

[1:18] - James' career in the UK

[5:34] - Structural drivers of inequality in the UK and Australia

[9:58] - The social and affordable housing context in Australia

[12:41] - Why Australia is currently experiencing a shortfall in social and affordable housing

[16:01] - Homelessness and the political context

[20:02] - Response to homelessness in the UK

[22:35] - Surprises from working in the Australian social services sector

[24:39] - Changes in the not-for-profit space

[27:54] - Relationship between the not-for-profit and private sectors

[30:23] - Dangers of competing to get a share of the problem rather than competing to solve the problem

[35:09] - Challenges facing Mission Australia

[39:06] - Adapting to the COVID-19 work-life-balance challenges on an organisational scale

[43:23] - Innovation in service delivery (e.g. VR)

[46:38] - Accessibility and the digital divide

[52:10] - Things university students can do to make a difference

[58:26] - The power of acknowledging people that are experiencing homelessness

Charlotte is a crisis accommodation case worker in a youth refuge, The Bridge. The Bridge is a crisis refuge operated by Project Youth and serves as crucial support network for young peopled aged 16-19 who are facing immediate homelessness in the Sutherland Shire. 

In this conversation, we discuss her experiences and perspectives, as well as the important work of both The Bridge and Project Youth. If you would like to learn more, please visit the Project Youth website here.

Timestamps:

[0:51] - Charlotte's career journey

[2:55] - Her role within Project Youth

[4:12] - Daily responsibilities of a youth worker in crisis accommodation 

[5:36] - Challenges facing youth workers

[6:32] - Value of her prior work experience in hospitality 

[8:53] - The referral process for a crisis refuge 

[11:33] - Differences between crisis housing and other housing supports

[12:31] - Interdependence of youth services 

[14:46] - Exit pathways from a crisis refuge

[17:03] - How a crisis refuge can break the chain of homelessness

[18:55] - Importance of professional boundaries as a youth worker

[20:33] - Hidden homelessness 

[23:49] - Legal complexity for youth services 

[26:12] - Learning from COVID-19

[31:33] - Importance of awareness and acknowledgement 

[35:03] - Lockdown reading and post-lockdown plans

Digby is a Senior Policy and Research Officer with Homelessness NSW, a peak agency body that advocates the government, businesses and the wider community to improve policy and program initiatives that affect homelessness.

In this conversation, we discuss his experiences and perspectives on tackling this problem, the policy and service delivery approaches taken before and during COVID-19, as well as the broader improvements that need to be made. 

If you would like to learn more about the advocacy, research and policy work of Homelessness NSW, please visit their website where you can access their submissions, campaigns and reports. 

Timestamps:

[1:08] - Digby's career journey 

[4:55] - Changes in the social services sector

[7:55] - Advantages of grassroots community-based organisations

[10:40] - Why social housing investment is the most effective way to reduce homelessness

[13:55] - Long-term housing support and the successful Finland model

[17:29] - The importance of a housing-first approach

[22:18] - Youth foyers

[25:21] - The response of the NSW government during the pandemic

[28:48] - Social housing plans

[30:48] - Strategy to address homelessness before COVID-19

[31:33] - Legacy of the pandemic on the homelessness sector

[35:44] - Affordable housing and the tax system 

[40:08] - The work of Homelessness NSW

[43:43] - Expectations from policy submissions and the unexpected wins

[51:03] - How might university students make a difference in the homelessness sector

[53:39] - Expectations for positive change in the future

[56:13] - Lockdown listening and viewing

[57:33] - Duolingo! 

Mark is clinical lead of Headspace Ashfield, and has worked 17 years in mental health and youth health services. Before Headspace, he worked as a therapist in child and adolescent mental health in both community and hospital services, as well as overseas in group treatment.

In this conversation, we discuss his perspectives on supporting the mental health of young people, as well as strategies to destigmatize mental health issues in the community and the individual part that we can all play to contribute to this process. If you would like to learn more about mental health or the support available to young people, please visit the Headspace website.

Timestamps:

[1:19] - Mark's career journey 

[4:09] - Expectations and changes

[6:27] - What is therapy?

[8:27] - Different forms of metal health support available

[10:33] - Therapeutic relationships

[11:52] - The role of Headspace

[14:03] - Accessing Headspace services

[15:04] - The initial interactions with Headspace

[17:09] - Differences between psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and GPs

[19:42] - The role of the clinical lead

[20:55] - Maintaining a good mindset when delivering therapy

[22:22] - Difficulties therapists experience in reaching out for support 

[24:42] - Stigma around mental ill health

[26:31] - Barriers to reaching out for support

[28:25] - Destigmatising mental health issues at the individual level

[32:20] - Having those difficult conversations

[34:46] - Positive mental health 

[37:19] - Building resilience during lockdown

[40:02] - The fight-flight-freeze response

[42:08] - Benefits of breathing and associated techniques

[46:01] - Mindfulness

[46:54] - Strategies to stay in the present

[48:14] - Historical strategies for mental health

[50:25] - Ideas for a better future in 5 years 

[52:15] - Resources for further learning

[53:48] - Lockdown listening, watching and reading

Gagan Kaur is a team leader for the casework team with Youth Off The Streets, an Australian youth services organisation. Since 1991, Youth Off The Streets has delivered a range of wraparound supports for young people. These include homelessness and housing services, independent high schools, alcohol and other drugs counselling, youth justice support, life skills programs, cultural support and community outreach, among other services.

Prior to joining Youth Off The Streets in 2016, Gagan has worked with children and young people in early intervention programs, as well as with refugees and asylum seekers. In this conversation, we discuss her experiences and views on supporting young people in need over this period. If you would like to learn more about some of the youth support organisations in Australia, please visit the links below.

Resources:

Youth Off The Streets

Mission Australia

Yfoundations

Homelessness NSW

Timestamps:

[1:05] - Gagan's career journey

[2:23] - An overview of casework

[3:56] - Career highlights

[5:11] - Differences between working with refugees and young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness

[7:12] - Youth Off The Streets

[10:52] - Information sharing between youth support organisations

[12:26] - Team leader for the casework team

[15:32] - Differences between youth refuge work and casework 

[21:16] - Responsibilities of the team leader 

[24:38] - Has your role become more challenging over time?

[26:40] - Responding to the challenges of COVID-19

[29:30] - Will youth support fundamentally change in the face of COVID-19?

[31:48] - When will we see the impact of COVID-19 becoming more visible?

[33:09] - Ryan, you fool

[33:22] - The high level change needed to ease this impact

[35:11] - Is there anything that young people can do to support this?

[37:33] - Resources for further learning

[38:48] - A personal story of growth

[44:16] - An ongoing relationship with the young people

[45:53] - Giving back to the community

[48:10] - Getting through lockdown

Chris Byrnes-Mikelsons is the coordinator of Jacaranda Cottage, a youth refuge for young women who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Since 1992, the refuge has housed and cared for hundreds of young women who have experienced family breakdown, domestic violence, poverty, abuse, or neglect.

Chris has been a youth worker for 13 years and through her life's work, Chris strives to create environments for the people in her life to discover and celebrate who they are. In this conversation, we discuss her experiences, passions and perspectives on supporting young people over this period. If you would like to learn more about the amazing work of Chris and Jacaranda Cottage, please visit their website and Instagram.

Timestamps:

[1:50] - How Chris developed a passion for youth work

[3:35] - Her expectations at the start and how they changed

[4:50] - The power of silence 

[8:05] - Being there for people 

[10:15] - The familial approach of Jacaranda Cottage

[16:29] - Self-learning through youth work

[18:02] - Different models of youth refuges

[20:30] - Life after Jacaranda Cottage

[24:19] - The network of services outside of Jacaranda Cottage

[26:31] - Community initiatives 

[28:45] - Going virtual

[31:33] - Challenges of COVID-19

[33:30] - What can be learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic when it comes to delivering support for young people in need

[40:01] - Misconceptions about youth homelessness

[43:24] - What can young people in general do to make a difference, big or small, in this space

[46:56] - Lockdown streaming

[48:10] - Lockdown reading 

Theresa Cai is a psychology graduate, currently undertaking her Masters of Social Work. Early this year, she had the opportunity to become a youth worker supporting young people in out of home care. We chatted with Theresa about her journey and experiences so far. 

Timestamps:

[2:30] - How Theresa got involved in youth work

[3:00] - Theresa's role as a youth worker

[3:40] - Theresa's motivations for her role

[4:26] - Challenges as a youth worker

[5:08] - Theresa's expectations for her role and the surprises she faced

[6:45] - The learnings from this experience

[7:31] - Theresa's approach as a youth worker

[8:30] - Frictions between youth workers and case workers

[9:43] - Challenges of COVID-19

[10:48] - Theresa's advice for young people looking to make a difference