YAPA is managed by a community-based Board of Governance. The Board is responsible for the legal, financial, employment and broader policy responsibilities of YAPA.
The YAPA Board has 10 members who are elected by the YAPA members - young people and youth agencies - at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) each May.
Office-bearers & other positions
The various positions on the Board are listed in the YAPA constitution, which ensures that the Board is representative of various groups.
- 3 Members of the Chairing Panel - each is called "the Chair of YAPA". At least one must be a young person aged 12-25, and at least one must be a woman.
- Treasurer
- Secretary
- 5 Ordinary Members - at least one must be a young person aged 12-25, at least one of the other ordinary members must be an Aboriginal person, and at least one must be from outside of the Sydney Greater Metropolitan Area.
Current Board (May 2008 - May 2009)
In June 2008 YAPA held our Annual General Meeting and elected a new Board of Governance.
Our Board has a mixture of new and experienced Board members, again ensuring a mix of new ideas and consistency of knowledge for the governance of YAPA. The Board includes workers in regional NSW, an Indigenous young person and even a young person working in financial services.
Five out of the 9 filled positions are held by persons aged 25 years or younger, well in excess of the two Board positions specifically allocated for young people.
Chairing Panel - Rebecca Fowles, Armina Soemino, Brandon Bear
Treasurer - Michelle Baldacchino
Secretary - Vacant
Ordinary members - Lakin Agnew, Martin Drennan, Arjun Bisen, Nicky Johnson, Sonja Golovchenko
Rebecca Fowles
Age: 24
Location/region: Cessnock
Positions presently held in other organisations
- Cessnock Youthlinx – Coordinator
- NSW Youth Advisory Council – Member
- Youth.NSW Website Reference Group – Chairperson
- YPAC - member
Policy Interests:
- youth participation
- rural/regional issues for young people
- young parents
Number of years on the YAPA Board: 2nd year
Armina Soemino
Age: 21
Location: Milsons Point/North Sydney
Positions presently held in other organisations
- JP Morgan as an equities analyst for Small Caps Team
- Capital W (Business Womens Club) for UNSW – Marketing Director
- Youth Participation Project Grant for YAPA – Panellist
- Parramatta Youth Advisory Council & OCYP’s Young People Committee – Youth
Week - YAPA Western Sydney Youth Forum & CCYP Reference Group – former Member
Policy Interests:
- Anything that affects young people but, Young Women’s issues, racism and transport are my main interests.
- Education -
both tertiary and secondary level.
Number of years on the YAPA Board: 2nd year
Brandon Bear
Age: 21
Location: Sydney Metro
Positions presently held in other organisations
- Chairperson – Future Leaders of Australia, Marrickville Youth Council, Sexual Heath Week Adv. Committee and Resources Chair
- Board of Management – Goodtimers.
Policy Interests:
- Advocating for homeless young people
- health and equity for young people
- equality and parity for GLBTQI young people
- increasing access to services and destigmatisaiton of service provision
Number of years on the YAPA Board: 1st year
Michelle Baldacchino
Organisation: Youth Off the Streets
profile not available
Lakin Agnew
Location: Hunter
Positions presently held in other organisations
- Kurri Kurri Community Centre – Cessnock Youth Develop. Officer
Policy Interests:
- Youth Accommodation
- Youth Participation
- Youth Arts
Number of years on the YAPA Board: 2nd year
Martin Drennan
Age: 22
Location: Sydney Metro
Positions presently held in other organisations
- Employed: NSW Dept. Sport & Recreation (casual camp instructor)
- Self contractor: Training & Community Development Work, University student
(B.Education) - Voluntary/elected: Council Member of NSW Youth Advisory Council (YAC), NSW
YAC representative on the state SRC, Member of ReconciliACTION NSW, District
Supervisor & Youth Facilitation Team – Surf Lifesaving.
Policy Interests:
- Youth participation in govt. decision making/ consultation mechanisms/models
- Funding and governance of Youth Organisations
- Re-engaging disengaged Youth
- Juvenile Justice and Social Justice Education
Number of years on the YAPA Board: 1st year
Arjun Bisen
Age: 21
Location: South West Sydney
Positions presently held in other organisations
- Board Secretary – Student Association UTS Markets Campus
- Grants Officer/Volunteer – Grameen Foundation
Policy Interests:
- Poverty and income support
- Education
- Indigenous Youth affairs
- Community
involvement and volunteering
Number of years on the YAPA Board: 1st year
Nicky Johnson
Location: Stanmore, Sydney
Positions presently held in other organisations
- Manager of Stanmore Program for Stretch-a-Family Inc.
Policy Interests:
- Cross Cultural Policies
- Indigenous policies
- Anti-discrimination
- Sexual assault
- Drug and Alcohol policies
Number of years on the YAPA Board: 1st year
Sonja Golovchenko
Location: Penrith
Positions presently held in other organisations
- Youth & Community Drug & Alcohol Project Worker - WESDARC
Policy Interests:
- Provision of care for people with comorbidity.
- Research into clinical approaches to comorbidity
- Shared care programs need to be developed by addressing comorbidity in an
integrated way - Support for up-skilling health/welfare workers in the area of comorbidity
Number of years on the YAPA Board: 1st year
