Taylor is a new Youth Worker with the Junction Youth Health Service. Taylor’s role includes crisis support, outreach, case management, group facilitation, and social support. This work is fast-paced and always unique to each specific young person’s needs. As this is Taylor’s first role as a Youth Worker she has had to learn fast and continues to achieve above and beyond expectations and demonstrates an inspirational amount of drive to see better outcomes for young people.
Taylor has been a Youth Worker for just under 18 months and is on an incredible trajectory! She has a compassionate, driven, enthusiastic and practical approach to youth work. While she is still so new to the field, she is obviously a natural, and has already commenced a Graduate Certificate to further develop her skills and information.
Taylor has stepped up to embrace our new case management framework working with young people facing complex issues. Two young people who have come to us in the last year experiencing homelessness had Taylor step up and advocate on their behalf – neither young person had to spend even one night on the streets thanks to Taylor’s efforts coordinating with multiple crisis services, and even transporting young people to where they could stay safely.
Taylor helped create The Junction’s new Social Groups, and her enthusiasm for art has helped build a community of young artists. Taylor’s vision for a giant collaborative canvas was a beautiful project of inclusion and diversity. Taylor also coordinates our Interview Friends program where over 20 volunteers provide support young people in police custody, and Taylor even volunteers for that program herself outside work hours.
Throughout lockdown, Taylor’s passion for our work was a bright light to the team. She is often video-chatting with young people; learning origami with them, playing uno, and providing case management online. Taylor engages young people wherever they are, with an individual approach, and is an expert at getting around or removing barriers – she has arranged to meet clients at their school if they can’t get to us, she will take them out for a walk, chat with them on the phone, or go out to meet young people at refuges.
