Working with young people

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Mission Australia has 35 diverse youth-focussed services around Australia. In each service, a team of dedicated youth workers walks alongside young people through their celebrations and hardships, giving them a voice and helping them to realise their potential.

We asked some of our youth workers what they enjoy most about working with young people, as well as what they find most challenging.

Megan Boshell, Program Manager, Mac River Rehab Centre and Youth on Track, NSW

"The best part of working with young people is seeing them start to take steps towards achieving their goals, regardless of how big or small those steps might be. We work with a lot of young people who think that a lot of things that many people take for granted are beyond their reach, things like going back to school, getting a job or living independently and it’s fantastic to see them start to build their confidence and skills in achieving those things and really start to set goals for their future.

"One of the biggest challenges in my role is working with young people who have essentially fallen through the cracks in services and come to us very much in crisis. It can also be really challenging working with young people who come from families, and sometimes communities, where there is a lot of intergenerational trauma and entrenched antisocial values and attitudes. In that case we try and put in a lot of wrap around support in the community for the young person and their family and we always try and involve the family as much as possible."

Melanie Kellway, Youth worker, Southern Shoalhaven Youth Service, NSW

"Working with young people is quite new for me. I'm only in my third month, but I love it and couldn't picture myself anywhere else. It is a privilege to be able to form relationships with young people. They're all incredible in their own ways and I look forward to what the upcoming years have in store.

"The biggest challenge so far in my journey in youth work would be not having enough housing, it is extremely sad to see so many or to hear of so many young people with nowhere to go or having to go from friends to friends to be able to have some where safe to sleep. It would be incredible to see a refuge built and supported in our little hometown, I know many of our young people would be very grateful."

Danielle Stewart, Youth worker, Community Services Elizabeth, South Australia

"I love meeting different clients and working with them to overcome their barriers and achieve their goals!"