Poster Presenters

AYAC & Youth Civic Engagement

Nellie Wotherspoon is a trained youth worker with experience in youth-focused systemic advocacy and policy. With this poster Nellie explores ways in which Australian young people engage in civic life, highlights disconnects between the government and young people, and provides solutions to empower young people to advocate for what matters to them. Drawing on participatory frameworks, this poster emphasises AYAC's role in centring young voices in political discourse and calls for an inclusive democracy that responds to the needs of young people.

The 4 C's of Youth Engagement

Casey Moller is a community engagement officer who believes young people should have real power in shaping their communities. In this session, Casey shares the 4C’s of Community Engagement: Connection, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity, based on UNICEF’s youth engagement framework. With stories, tools, and ideas from real projects, Casey will show how to move beyond tokenism and build genuine, youth-led partnerships that make a difference.

Beacons of Support: Illuminating Pathways to Student Wellbeing through Integrated Community Services

David Frost manages Anglicare WA’s Student Wellbeing Service, supporting a statewide team of Student Wellbeing Officer's (SWOs) in schools. This poster outlines how embedding wellbeing officers within school communities enhances access to support, strengthens school culture, and promotes ethical, youth-centred practice. It highlights integrated service delivery, cross-sector collaboration, and the impact of wraparound models on student wellbeing.

Youth Focus' Outcome and Impact Model: Approach, Journey and Learnings

Youth Focus works to improve the mental health and wellbeing of young Western Australians. This poster summarises our Outcome and Impact Model. Ellie Morrissey (she/her) works to develop an understanding of the changes our services create for young people, carers and communities, and embed this in how we work. Katrina Hon (she/her) codesigned and cofacilitated youth consultation and acted as a lived experience and research consultant for the Model. She is a PhD candidate in Pyschology and works as an advisor at headspace Midland, Youth Focus, and Lifeline WA.

Pride in the Regions: A Case Study on the Role of LGBTIQA+ Community Development in Albany

In February 2025, WAAC, Freedom Center and M Clinic, led a comprehensive community development initiative to support LGBTIQA+ young people during Albany Pride Festival, in response to negative social and cultural discourse affecting the LGBTIQA+ community in Albany. The team worked alongside peer-based organisations to deliver a series of events aimed at strengthening community connections and support networks, including workshops for parents and youth, a community roundtable, and both outreach and sexual health testing at local LGBTIQA+ events. This poster summarises the initiative.

Child and Youth Homelessness

Manager Strategic Projects leading strategic programs for impactful results

Empowering Voices: Cérge app and All About Me

Cergé provides essential "know before you go" accessibility info for people with disability, including 360° virtual tours, visual stories, sensory, access and audio guides, communication and keyword sign boards, and AI wayfinding. The free app lets users share info with venues to help staff prepare for inclusive interactions. In 2024, Cergé co-designed a resource booklet with young people with disability that will be embedded into the app, supported by 2024 YACWA award nominee Lily Gaulton and 2024 YACWA Young Person of the Year winner, Oliver Lim.