Last Friday we were honoured to welcome Keisha Calyun and Derek Nannup to the YACWA Board, alongside returning Board Member Georgie Carey.

Keisha is a Ballardong Noognar woman who works as the Aboriginal Youth Program Coordinator at the Aboriginal Health Council of WA (AHCWA), with a focus on improving health outcomes for Aboriginal young people across WA. Keisha was also the winner of the Hope Community Services Positive Achievement Award at YACWA's 2019 WA Youth Awards.

Derek is a Whadjuk Noongar man who also comes to us from Aboriginal Health Council of WA, where he works on the as the Sexual Health and BBV Program Officer (Youth). Derek is also the founder of the group Boorloo Indigenous Youth Yarning Circles that fosters cultural connection and traditional healing for young people.

On a personal note, I'd like to express how exciting and encouraging it is to see such strong youth voice on our Board. Youth leadership is one of the key pillars of YACWA's work and it's clear from the results of the election that it's a priority shared by our voting members. I'm incredibly excited for the ideas Keisha and Derek will bring to the Board, along with the returning Georgie Carey, who's been instrumental in her work as Co-Chair of our Governance Subcommittee in the 2019-20 financial year.

We had an astounding number of worthy nominations this year and I'd like to offer my personal thanks to all of the candidates for their commitment to the lives of young people and the youth sector in WA:  Danni Forster, Lydia Light, Ashleigh Lin, Kirsty McGeachy, Michala McMahon, Haeden Miles and Lyn Millett. I know every one of you is passionate about our mission and I look forward to working alongside you all in many capacities over the coming year.

On behalf of the Board, I'd also like to offer thanks to outgoing Board Member Brooke Draper. Brooke's work has been essential to our governance and the sustainability of YACWA over her three-year term on the Board and I'm confident we'll continue working together in the future.

Stay tuned to our website and social media for the digital version of our 2019-20 Annual Report and photos from Friday's AGM.

If you'd like to request a physical copy of our Annual Report or our just-published COVID-19 Youth Experience Papers, please get in touch with us here.

Warm regards,

Ross Wortham
CEO, YACWA

Photos by Susie Blatchford / Pixel Poetry