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Young & Resilient’s international board of experts meets in Sydney  

The Young and Resilient Research Centre played host to a dynamic and thought-provoking two-day event that brought together our External Advisory Board (EAB), members and valued partners. Our international board of experts, from across industries, sat down with WSU stakeholders to discuss how we can build research leadership and capacity, to tackle the issues impacting children and young people.

Strategy sessions discussing Young & Resilient’s positioning and future direction were led by Lesley Podesta, Y&R EAB Chair and CEO of Red Mitten, a bespoke consultancy service providing advice, support and practical assistance to small social impact and not-for-profit organisations.

We were also joined by the following EAB members

  • Sunita Bose, Managing Director of Digital Industry Group Incorporated (DIGI)
  • Anne Collier, founder and executive director of The Net Safety Collaborative
  • Saffron Howden, National editorial training manager at Australian Community Media
  • Amelia Loye, Founder and Managing Director at engage2
  • John Morley, Associate Director, Program Support, Partnerships and New Ventures at Plan International Australia
  • Samantha Yorke, Authority Lead on Telecommunications and Consumer matters at the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA)
  • John Zoltner, Global Lead of Protection from Digital Harm and Technology for Development and Innovation (ICT4D) at Save the Children US.

Lesley Podesta's leadership set the tone for thoughtful deliberations, while each member brought their unique perspectives, reinforcing the collaborative spirit that defines the Young and Resilient Research Centre. Each of their insights and contributions enhanced our discussions and deepened the dialogue and Amelia stepped up to lead discussions on the second day, when we were joined by Y&R members.

During this event, we explored the role the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) play in enhancing the lives of young people and were joined by Jen Dollin who told us about the broader approach at WSU, and how the SDGs can serve as catalysts for positive change. We discussed the role of child-centred indicators in this space as an invaluable instrument for governments, the private sector, and other stakeholders to effectively measure the impact of initiatives designed to address the unique needs and challenges of young people.

The group also discussed the strategies required to sustain the active involvement and engagement of young people in our research by ensuring their voices remain at the core of our work.

We were joined by Research Champions Maria Estela Varua and Gabrielle Weidmann on the second day for lightning round presentations on our work. Our presenters included Dr Sherene Idriss, Dr Catharine Flemming, Ms Louisa Welland, Dr Luigi Di Martino, Dr Valentina Bau, Y&R Centre Manager Ms Lilly Moody, and Y&R Co-Directors Professor Phillipa Collin and Professor Amanda Third. These presenters explained our innovative approaches to tackling the most pressing challenges affecting children and young people.

We are excited about the future and look forward to the positive impact that will emerge from this collaborative event!

Curious to learn more about the wealth of knowledge and experience our EAB members bring to the table? Read the EAB profiles here >