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When Sharon O’Hehir heads out with a police officer on an evening shift with the Embedded Youth Outreach Program (EYOP), she embraces the unpredictability. “For most people that would freak them out, but I’ve always loved change and the unexpected,” the EYOP Team Leader says.

Every night, an…

Emily Baisman never believed she’d make it to university. “I had really severe mental health for a long time,” she says. “I had to drop out of school because of it, and then because of issues at home I left home when I was 16.”

Emily experienced homelessness and…

Sarah Hiley knows how life-saving harm reduction can be. She’s worked with people who use drugs and alcohol for over 20 years, most recently overseeing Melbourne’s Medically Supervised Injecting Rooms and other AOD programs run by the North Richmond Community Health Centre. For her, harm reduction measures like ensuring…

Trish Serratore grew up surrounded by the healing power of food. Born into a big Italian family, her dad owned a bakery and worked as a delivery man for one of the first Italian cheese factories in Melbourne.

“Like many Italian families, we were always obsessed with…

If you’ve ever called YSAS Reception, chances are you’ve spoken to Bianca Walsh. Her warm, calm tone and quick thinking helps callers find the right support fast. “I have to be professional but empathetic,” she says. “I need to know when it’s okay to interrupt and work out…

Finding your first job can be tough, something Dan* is currently experiencing firsthand. The 20-year-old has handed out hundreds of resumes online and in person, hoping someone will give him a shot. “It’s quite frustrating and dispiriting to be honest, because 95 per cent of resumes I hand out, I…

Senior Primary Health Outreach Nurse Nat Joyce isn’t your typical nurse. He is dedicated to supporting young people with their health, whether that’s physical, mental or sexual. To do that he doesn’t just use health care skills – he’s using case management and counselling skills as well. He says…

The first time Nathan Akoka was in a drug and alcohol withdrawal unit, he wasn’t a worker. He was a client. When he was 13 years old, he moved to Melbourne following some big life changes. He was feeling lost, so he started using substances to help cope. Eventually, he…