Latest News from Youth Opportunities

9 May 2019 / Team

A Message from Our Outgoing Chief Executive

Friends,

We had a great start to 2019 with 97 young people graduating from our program in Term 1. Erin and I were fortunate enough to attend the graduation with students from Whyalla and see the students give their graduation speeches. They were a fantastic group of young people and it was inspiring to see their considerable growth as individuals throughout the course of the program.

Next week we will release our 2018 Organisation Report for what was an eventful, exciting and record-breaking year for Youth Opportunities. The report, which has been created by the great team at Klik, contains everything we got up to last year and our annual results – including the highest number of graduates from our Personal Leadership Program in recent years – so look out for it arriving in your inbox.

With a busy Term 2 getting underway last week, we have welcomed some new members to the team, including Ali Prescott as a new metropolitan trainer, Sam Sinclair will be training in the South-East, Jasmine Falwasser and Sylvia Mullen join us to deliver training in Whyalla, and Ama Abeywickrama joins the finance team. We were sad to say goodbye to Renee Secomb who left as Manager of The Marshman Foundation for new adventures, however we are pleased to say Nicky Brand – who had been providing pragmatic support to Youth Opportunities for several years – will take over this role. And, in a few short weeks, Erin Faehrmann takes over the reigns as Chief Executive as I step down from my post on June 30th.

During the last 5 years, I have truly enjoyed leading this great organisation. I am proud to have been a part of so many team achievements, including the launch of our online program, Thrive; the introduction of the YO scholarship scheme (and our next Scholarship Celebration takes place on May 28th at Port Adelaide Football Club, see more here); the pilot of Project 360, offering YO resources and training to parents and teachers; our TransformARTive exhibitions; and the expansion of our face to face training statewide, including across the South-East for the first time. Another first was the awarding of a full tertiary scholarship in collaboration with The Adam Scott Foundation earlier this year. Jadzia Munday was the successful recipient and has now begun studying Archaeology and Environmental Science at Flinders University. You can read more about Jadzia and her inspiring story here.

Our events have gone from strength to strength, with last year’s Stars in The Garden being the most successful YO fundraising activity in our history. And don’t forget this year’s Stars takes place on November 16th so save the date.

Speaking of events, the twelfth annual Youth Opportunities Golf Day takes place this week at Glenelg Golf Course and is a sell-out. We have some superb prizes in the live auction including priceless Adam Scott Signed Golf Clubs and fitting with Titleist and a Glenelg Golf Course provisional membership valued at $7,500 (read more here about how you can be the winning bidder). We also have our lottery, with a 13-night New Zealand Cruise up for grabs, being drawn on Golf Day, so pick up a ticket now here  – and with only 500 tickets in the draw, the winning odds are good.

Another event to put in your calendar is my ‘Farewell Roast’ on Friday August 2nd in the William Magarey Room at Adelaide Oval. More information will be sent out soon on how to reserve your place. We’re looking forward to seeing you at what is shaping up to be a fun afternoon.

The future looks very bright for Youth Opportunities. My successor, Erin, joined the YO management team after serving on our Board and I know Youth Opportunities will continue to succeed and move forward under Erin’s leadership. I can look back with pride on everything this organisation has accomplished during my time here, but the most notable has been seeing our young graduates increase in confidence, self-worth and motivation, making the most of their potential and overcoming adversity.

A huge thank you for your continued and steadfast support, it sustains this organisation to continue changing the lives of young South Australians – the future of our great state.

Peter Carey, Chief Executive

Categories: Team