Frank has worked in the area of Youth Services and in leadership positions for longer than he can remember. After realising that standing in front of a classroom of students wasn’t necessarily his thing, Frank has worked whole career with young people in various community agencies and has been at Whitehorse City Council for last 11 years. Frank has always worked in the best interests of young people to ensure they reach their full potential.
Frank enjoys keeping fit and active by throwing 'iron' around at the gym and jumping on his road bike so to have the wind flow through the remaining hair he has. Unfortunately, over the years he’s had some mishaps on the bike of which he still bears the scars from.
If working with young people wasn't enough, Frank also has 2 teenage boys who constantly keep him on his toes. Frank is a passionate 'DIYer', pottering around the house doing all odd jobs sometimes to the absolute dismay of his better half of over 20 years.
Strengths: Adaptable, supportive, loyal, responsible, reliable
Jules has been the Youth ConneXions coordinator for over 10 years. You will still be able to find him up at the centre playing pool and playing table tennis as the self proclaimed champion of both at the youth centre. He also loves music, especially hip hop and uses his passion and skills in the Youth ConneXions studio working with young people to create and record music.
He is a positive person who believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to be empowered to make a positive difference and their own lives and in the world around them. He is passionate about the centre being a safe, welcoming, fun space where young people can relax and feel free to be themselves.
Jules enjoys playing and watching basketball. Stretching out with some yoga, working out and the gym and chilling out doing meditation. Jules loves creativity and the arts whether it be music, dancing, writing, drawing, and especially coming up with cringey dad jokes. He likes to get outdoors into nature and go camping with friends. Jules is studying counselling and is interested in psychology and philosophy.
Strengths: Positivity, creativity, kindness, reliability, responsible
Jac has worked in the youth field for the last 15 or so spending the last 9 years at Whitehorse as Youth Participation Officer. You are most likely to find Jac in the kitchen at Youth Connexions baking up a storm more often than not in the form of a cake to share with everyone in the centre that afternoon. Jac is passionate about helping young people and making a positive impact on their lives. Embracing diversity and difference without judgement in all young people and working with them together to achieve their goals. Jac also feels strongly about advocating on behalf of the young people she supports and making sure their voices are heard.
You will find Jac out on a soccer pitch most weekends and quite a few weeknights too! Her love of soccer runs deep as does her passion for women and girls having equal access and opportunities to participate in sport. This has resulted in her starting a successful women’s and girls soccer club. Jac likes scoring goals and has been known to mistake pretty much anything that is lying around on the ground for a soccer ball… which can make dinner parties and traveling on trains awkward….
Jac also loves traveling and exploring the world combining this with an eternal hunt for good food and coffee on her crazy and epic adventures! While at home she loves dabbling in all sorts of creative projects including life drawing, lead lighting and writing poetry.
Strengths: Patient, supportive, kind, creative, positive, loyal.
Ash joined the Youth ConneXions team during lockdown and is loving engaging with and getting to know the young people – even if they do consistently beat her at pool and table tennis with no mercy.
She has completed a degree in Youth Work and is really excited to start her career here at Youth ConneXions after previously having worked mostly with children running camps and holiday programs. Ash’s focus is to work with the centre’s young people to encourage and empower them to seek out opportunities, be there for them as a listening ear, as well as being very passionate about creating a sense of belonging in our little community for all those that drop by.
In her spare time, Ash enjoys baking (to varying degrees of success) and keeping active with friends through running and netball. She also loves watching a good movie and is an avid reader, writer, and dog patter.’
Steven Dupon has commenced with Youth Services into the role of Whitehorse School Focused Youth Services Coordinator. He will be working 2 days a week until the end of the year at this stage in line with State Government funding. Steven will work Wednesday and Thursdays assisting to deliver the School Focused Youth Service.
Steven comes to us with extensive experience and skills including as Manager at YMCA Manningham and as National Youth Coordinator at YMCA Australia.
Steven will be an acquisition in the SFYS Coordinator role.
Emma is one of the two School Focused Youth Service Coordinators at Whitehorse City Council. Emma is a passionate Social Worker who has worked with young people for over 10 years, in education and mental health, before joining the Whitehorse Youth Service’s Team in 2017. She is a big believer in doing what you can to make life better for others and is particularly passionate about supporting young people’s mental health.
Emma is a mum of two and is happiest when spending time outdoors with her family. She loves holidays, warm weather and beaches – but who doesn’t?
Emma has a love of all genres of music, but has a particular love of country music – don’t hold that against her though! She’s been singing as long as she can remember and has recorded a few CD’s in the past – these days however, her only performances involve singing lullabies and nursery rhymes to her daughter – often to mixed reviews!
Strengths: Gratitude, fairness, hope, honesty, kindness
Rachel is an extremely funny and caring member of the Whitehorse Youth Services Team. Her career has seen her working in a variety of roles in many different industries, however she has worked for Whitehorse City Council for 10 years in a variant of roles with the Health & Family Services department. Rachel has been a member of Whitehorse Community for most of her life bringing up 3 young people whilst balancing studying and working.
Rachel believes in a lifetime of learning which include having creative and inquisitive discussions and is inspired by different cultures and enjoys meeting people from all walks of life.
During the weekend, when she is not a taxi driver, she enjoys walks with her dog Howard, reading, catching up with friends and binging Netflix.
Strengths: curiosity, flexibility, kindness