Development Officer – Schools & Community Mary joined the SELLEN team early 2014, bringing with her a background in working across the youth arena in education, project management, people management, career development and organisational development. With over seventeen years experience in the public, not for profit, higher education and community sectors, she has wide-ranging expertise in developing and managing initiatives that successfully support young people through school to work. Mary holds qualifications in leadership, business management, action learning, training, career development and adolescent counseling. She was a member of the National Youth Careers and Transitions Advisory Group (NYCTAG) to the Hon Brendan Nelson MP and the Hon Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Education, Science and Training. Mary is working with a variety of partnerships in the South East region that support young people to complete their education and transition on to further education, training and employment.

SWL Program manager/Partnership Broker

Lesley joined the SELLEN team mid 2016 to help establish the SWL portal, connecting young people with work placement opportunities, not just locally but Statewide. With a diverse background in the not-for-profit and local government sector, Lesley brings a range of skills in community development, connecting young people to the supports they need to engage and succeed in achieving their full potential. From out of home services, early intervention, disability services, volunteer management, project management and implementing a range of innovative supports to primary and secondary students, Lesley brings a range of skills and experience, successfully engaging young people in education and pathway opportunities. With a range of qualifications and training in Human Services, Welfare Studies, Project Management and leadership, Lesley has gained significant skills in understanding the needs of young people and the importance of establishing connections between young people and their community.

Partnership Broker – School and Industry Development Officer In previous roles ranging from Business Liaison, Pathways & Outreach, Education Support and National Learning & Development Helen brings wide ranging experience in youth disadvantage and disengagement from school, local industry and community engagement. Having worked in not-for-profit and private sectors, Helen has demonstrated skills in case management, careers coordination and project management. Especially concerned for the welfare of young people in our community, Helen has worked with a diverse range of stakeholders to guide action towards success. Experience in establishing networks and relationships with local schools, councils and community service providers in the South East, Gippsland and Frankston/Mornington LGAs will position her to broker sustainable partnerships to support schools to enable young people to re-engage and remain in education and transition to sustainable employment.

Structured Workplace Learning Project Officer Rebecca is passionate about improving outcomes for children, young adults and families. She has been working in education and not-for-profit organisations for more than 17 years and has extensive experience in developing student engagement and transition programs and community building initiatives, corporate relationship building and retention, fundraising and grant writing, donor engagement and retention, and working with local councils to remaining in structured formal education for longer, and helping them to build careers that will introduce and develop community and student engagement initiatives. Rebecca’s background includes extensive work with young people who are from culturally diverse and Indigenous backgrounds, as well as students who are disengaged from traditional educational settings and programs and have diverse learning needs. She is passionate about engaging young people in learning experiences that meet them at their points of interest and is looking forward to working with organisations to build mutually beneficial relationships.

SWL Project Officer

Brikenda started her professional career as a teacher, then transitioning in 2000 to work with International Organisations, on a range of community development programs. In these programs, she worked on building young people’s capacity to develop their own pathways, fundraising for children, project development and implementation, networking with different stakeholders.

Brikenda’s background includes extensive work with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, targeting the most vulnerable members of the community and trying to improve their life trajectory. She is an enthusiastic advocate for children and young people and has represented the community on commissions regarding grant allocation and distribution.

VET Cluster Coordinator

Vicki has a teaching background and for many years taught senior English, Literature and Drama in Victorian Government schools. At the same time, she also held coordination roles within the Pathways area in Careers, Work Experience, Structured Workplace Learning, VCAL and VET. When VET courses of study were first introduced into Victoria as study options for secondary students, Vicki was closely involved in the process whereby schools worked together in groups or Clusters, to share the VET subjects they could offer, to students from their group of schools. Vicki now works as the VET Cluster Coordinator for two metropolitan VET Clusters, including the S.E. VET Cluster. This role requires Vicki to be the administrator of the on-line portal which manages all of the enrolments and attendance of VET students within the schools in each Cluster. Vicki chairs the meetings of VET Coordinators which are important opportunities to discuss VET related issues and to refine the Cluster’s processes and protocols. She is also available by phone and email to provide support for VET Coordinators.

Reception/Trainee After attending a local Secondary school and working casually in business administration for a few years Shayna is now ready to take on the challenge of a full time role with SELLEN. Shayna is employed as a Community Services Trainee as part of a VCOSS and Jobs Victoria initiative. Shayna is always happy to assist and keen to be involved in the business administration and community sectors in the future.