Lorraine Dupree is Queensland Youth Housing Coalition’s Executive Director. Her professional
background spans the media and social services sector. Over the past 25 years she has focused her work on children, young people, and families. She managed a youth service for over a decade, then held policy, research, and project management roles. Lorraine is passionate about addressing poverty and abuse of power in our society. Addressing poverty, power imbalances and inequities is the key to a more just and inclusive society. It is also fiscally and socially responsible. She sees this work as vital for individuals, organisations, communities, and systems committed to supporting all to participate meaningfully in our society and experience wellbeing.
background spans the media and social services sector. Over the past 25 years she has focused her work on children, young people, and families. She managed a youth service for over a decade, then held policy, research, and project management roles. Lorraine is passionate about addressing poverty and abuse of power in our society. Addressing poverty, power imbalances and inequities is the key to a more just and inclusive society. It is also fiscally and socially responsible. She sees this work as vital for individuals, organisations, communities, and systems committed to supporting all to participate meaningfully in our society and experience wellbeing.
Contact Lorraine@qyhc.org.au
M 0448073463
John Williams is a QYHC Project Officer. Having worked in the Youth Homelessness and Community sector for over 25 years John brings a diverse yet complementary range of skills to QYHC from his background in community centre management, systems advocacy and as an experienced and skilled practitioner. Passionate about social justice and community building John values strategic, big-picture, long-term thinking alongside hands on practical engagement.
Contact John@qyhc.org.au
Days – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
Rachael Morgenbesser joined the QYHC team as a Project Officer in December 2021 and returned in 2024 after a 12 month hiatus performing a project role in homelessness workforce development with HQ. Rachael has 15 years of experience working in the community services sector having worked in youth justice, housing, family support, emergency relief and domestic and family violence roles. Over the past few years, Rachael worked in the Reconnect program in the Ipswich area to support at-risk young people to stay connected with their families and be safely housed. Rachael has a passion for working with young people and strongly believes that young people are innovative, creative, and capable – no matter what their background, or where they live. She is committed to ensuring all young people are supported to overcome challenges and have opportunities to realise their full potential. Rachael is excited to be a part of an organisation that has young people front and centre in making decisions about their lives. She is eager to advocate for and with young people with a lived experience of homelessness to achieve QYHC’s ultimate goal of all young Queenslanders safely housed.
Contact: Rachael@qyhc.org.au
The Queensland Youth Housing Coalition (QYHC) was established in 1984. We have evolved since that time to become a significant voice for the issues impacting on marginalised young people, the focus has been on ending youth homelessness.
Housing is the bedrock from which young people can undertake social and economic opportunities.
QYHC is committed to improving the life opportunities and the wellbeing of young people who have been impacted by homelessness and the multitude of associated issues such as education, health, safety and social connection.
Strategic Plan 2020-2024
Who We Are & How We Work
A state-wide coalition of organisations & individuals advocating for and with young people who are homeless or who have had an experience of homelessness and supporting the services that work with them. QYHC assists not for profit organisations and government departments to respond to the housing and homelessness needs of young Queenslanders.
QYHC has an integrated approach to innovation and policy initiatives.
QYHC is funded by the Department of Housing and Public Works.
Megan has worked with young people in various settings, including homeless, Youth Justice and Education for over a decade. Her passion for the work lies in her rights- based, social justice framework and strong belief that all young people have enormous potential as contributors to our world.
Megan has been employed with the Youth+ Foundation as the Executive Officer for the last 5 years and is focused on supporting quality and innovative responses for young people who have been disenfranchised from traditional education systems; often from diverse and complex backgrounds. Megan also works with the Australian Association for Flexible and Inclusive Education, a member based organisation supporting the professionals who provide a range of unique and diverse educational opportunities across Australia.
Megan has a long association with the Queensland Youth Housing Coalition, both through employment and service to the Management Committee since 2009.
Megan has a Social Science – Human Services degree (BSocSc), specialising in Young People and is currently completing her Master of Teaching (MTeach).
My name is Fotina Hardy, I am first generation Australian born to Greek parents who emigrated to Australia in the 1950s. A recipient of the gift of ‘free education’ thanks to Gough Whitlam and the Australian Labor Party I was privileged to attend university and I chose social work. My experience includes working in the areas of children and families and child protection, domestic and family violence, mental health, older people, disability, and refugees and asylum seekers.
I have worked in policy, research, most recently in academia as a lecturer and coordinator of the field education for social work and human services students. I have also worked in the private business sector. I am on the Board of the Australian Association of Social Workers, a member of the Australian and New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education and Research (ANZSWWER) Committee, the AASW Qld Branch Social Policy Sub Committee and the National Workplace Mental Health Working Group for a national aged care provider. I am commitment to the principles of human rights and social justice and am incredibly thrilled to be part of this dynamic organisation.
Brett has worked in numerous roles spanning the community services (not-for-profit) sector, from residential youth services to large NGOs and peak bodies.
In recent years Brett has worked in various capacities as a representative for the local government sector, undertaking multiple projects across numerous social policy areas and holding project management roles.
Brett has a strong passion for social justice and aspires to work in developing a greater appreciation for community wellbeing programs and initiatives. Brett has been a member on several external steering committees and government working groups to inform and evaluate commonwealth and state-based reforms across community services and specific government-funded initiatives and programs.
Brett is currently the Manager for Digital Services with the Local Government Association of Queensland and serves as the Vice President and Director for Volunteering Queensland. He was previously the LGAQ’s Principal Advisor for Community Services and Strategy Development and was Co-chair of the Anti-Poverty Week Advisory Committee from 2012 - 2015.
He has been employed with the LGAQ for the past seven years to assist in supporting councils to deliver excellence in community services and more recently manage a large-scale digital transformation project for Queensland councils.
Brett has a bachelor’s degree in Communications, majoring in Public Relations and Journalism and Diploma level tertiary qualifications in Project Management and Community Services.
QYHC MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Marang ngarin (‘Good Day’ in Wiradjuri language).
I was born in Redcliffe Queensland. My ancestral links are with the Wiradjuri and Wongaibon First Nations peoples in NSW, the Nurrungi (or Narrung or Ngarrindjeri) First Nations peoples in SA and the Yuggera (or Yaggera
or Jaggera) First Nations peoples in QLD.
I have worked in a diverse range of areas in Aboriginal Health, Public Health, and Health Promotion. I have a Degree in Social Science majoring in Human Services and was the QUT Alumni Award winner in 2004.
In 1993, I was employed as Queensland’s first Indigenous Health Promotion Officer. Later and for 20 years I was employed with Queensland Health, Cancer Screening Branch. I am currently, since 2001, a member of several national
Advisory Committees with the Department of Health and Ageing.
I have also worked with the University of NSW, Curtain University WA, and Sydney University, where
I was instrumental in developing the current Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion, Additionally, with The Lowitja Institute, Women’s Health Queensland Wide and with national and international Indigenous
health research projects for SPC, WHO and NHMRC. More recently, as the Coordinator of a homeless youth shelter and at the Mater Hospital as a Youth Worker. I am currently employed with University of Queensland, developing, and implementing a new model of care
for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people who experience detention and when transitioning back to the community.
Allan has been working in the Housing and Homelessness sector for 14 years. He has worked across the spectrum of Social Housing with the Queensland Department of Housing, Mangrove Housing and a range of positions within BABI Youth & Family Service’s Specialist Youth Homelessness Service.
Allan’s work with BABI Youth & Family Service has spanned over a decade and positions have included Volunteer Caretaker, Property and Tenancy Worker, Housing Case Worker and currently holds the position of Housing Program Manager. Allan completed a Certificate 4 in Social Housing in 2017.
Working within a Specialist Youth Homelessness Service for over a decade has fuelled Allan’s passion for delivering a strong response to the multitude of challenges faced by young homeless people and the sector that strives to support them.
Jordanah has worked in the out-of-home care sector for the past 10 years. Since finishing her degree Jordanah has worked in the management of residential foster care placements.
A lived experience has propelled Jordanah to continue to advocate for change and for there to be proactive planning for care leavers to ensure they have somewhere to continue to call home. Jordanah is passionate about supporting young people to utilise their voice and experience to bring about change.
A lived experience has propelled Jordanah to continue to advocate for change and for there to be proactive planning for care leavers to ensure they have somewhere to continue to call home. Jordanah is passionate about supporting young people to utilise their voice and experience to bring about change.
Kirsten Firman is the Manager of Youth and Family Services for South Burnett CTC.
Kirsten has been with CTC for 20 years and has worked with the management team to advocate for services within the South Burnett region. The organisation now encompasses over 25 contracts and services providing a continuum of care for members of our community.
As part of this suite of services, Kirsten manages the youth hostel, youth services, child safety residential care, domestic violence and family services. Kirsten has a passion for youth believing that each young person should have the opportunity to achieve to their potential. She believes and works towards providing support for young people who have been affected by trauma, family dysfunction or other environmental factors and who need the help to be able to meet their individual goals and be the best adult they can be.
