About Us
What We Do
Hello! We're Australia’s leading Young Carer organisation, supporting young people who provide unpaid care for a family member affected by disability, chronic or mental illness, substance use or frail age, in VIC, NSW and QLD. Since our launch in 2009, we've become a game changing force in the Young Carer space, developing internationally recognised best practice programs and changing the lives of thousands of Young Carers around Australia.
Across a range of direct support programs, both in-person and online, we're working to improve the quality of life of Young Carers across five key areas of risk: education, employment, mental and physical health, social wellbeing and financial literacy.
Our Team
Maddy
Founder and CEO
Erin
People and Culture Manager
Sammy
Marketing and Communications Manager
Laura
Head of Programs
Tasha
Family Support Manager
Lindsay
Executive Manager (Carer Gateway)
Natalie
National Branding and Communications Manager
Jade
Dream Experience Coordinator
Olivia
Volunteer Coordinator
Sasha
Program Lead (VIC)
Lisa
Program Lead (VIC)
Clara
Regional Program Lead (Lismore)
Amber
Young Carer Engagement Lead
Melanie
Young Carer Engagement Coordinator
Monika
Family Support Worker (VIC)
Amy
Peer Support Practice Lead
Janine
Young Carer Support Coordinator (Peer Support) Sydney
Brooke
Young Carer Support Coordinator (Peer Support) Brisbane
Dee
Young Carer Support Coordinator (Peer Support) Bundaberg
Kathryn
Young Carer Support Coordinator (Peer Support) Bundaberg
Chantell
Young Carer Support Coordinator (Peer Support) Toowoomba
Tahnee
Coaching Practice Lead
Rachel
Quality and Compliance Lead
Richard
Counselling Practice Lead
Beck
Young Carer Support Coordinator (Coaching) Brisbane
Christina
Young Carer Support Coordinator (Coaching) Bundaberg
Ashleigh
Young Carer Support Coordinator (Coaching) NSW
Melita
Community Engagement Coordinator (QLD)
Elizabeth
Community Engagement Coordinator (NSW)
Daisy
Chief Barketing Officer
Our Board
Tom Levi GAICD: Chair
Principal at Nous Group
Michael Gilbert: Treasurer
Senior Finance Business Partner at Australia Post
Dana Rochwerger
Co-Founder at Not a Pony, Head of Digital and Funday Sweets
Rosie Thomas OAM
Co-Founder of PROJECT ROCKIT
Darren Lomman
Business Owner
Esther Nelson
Legal Counsel
Our Ambassadors
Elise Pulbrook
Dena Kaplan
Ariel Kaplan
Gemma-Ashley Kaplan
Our Advocates
"Young Carers are some of the most resourceful and resilient people around. Heavy responsibilities rest on their shoulders and they face and overcome challenges, often daily, that most adults would struggle to solve. We should champion all children and young people in caring roles, recognise their talent and support them to have the choices and freedom that the rest of us take for granted."
"There is an emerging consensus that around 10% of children and young people are Young Carers. They are involved in various caring roles for an ill or disabled relative/parent in their family, such as showering them, helping them to the toilet, keeping an eye on them, etc. These children represent a hidden army of young people who are also family carers. They will be on your street, in your community, in your schools . . . . can you see them yet?"
"If you’re a young adult caregiver, I implore you to share your story. Make yourself known. This may mean opening up to a friend, forming an online peer support group, or meeting with your state representative. Whatever you do, however seemingly big or small, is incredibly important in ensuring that the world knows that you serve an invaluable role as a young adult caregiver. Your acts of sacrifice are courageous and inspiring, particularly in a society that increasingly argues that today’s millennials are selfish and narcissistic. You are irreplaceable. You matter."
“Being able to make friends with people who are in the same boat as me has been super important in leading me to accept my caring role and embracing it” - Sam, Big Dreamers program participant 💬
There are still a couple of spots remaining in our upcoming Big Dreamers program! 🌟 If you`re a Young Carer aged 13-17 located in Victoria, and you’re eager to build new skills and connect with other like-minded people, then this program was made for you!
We`re kicking off with our first workshop in less than a couple of weeks time, so don’t miss out! Learn more and register your interest now via the link in our bio! 👆 #BigDreamers #YoungCarers #LittleDreamers
Hello Young Carers in VIC & NSW 👋
Would you benefit from a little extra support with your schoolwork this term? Our Tutoring program matches Young Carers with dedicated Little Dreamers volunteers who help guide students through homework and school related tasks, providing a helping hand with their education! 🎒📘🎓
Here’s the rundown:
⭐ Ages 10+
⭐ Online sessions
⭐ One-on-one support
⭐ 1 hour per week
⭐ Term 2 delivery: Monday to Thursday
⭐ For Young Carers located in Victoria or Regional NSW (Hunter Port Stephens and North Coast regions).
Follow the link in our bio to register your interest now! 🚀
#LittleDreamers #YoungCarers #YoungCarerSupport
🥳 Exciting news! The Federal Inquiry into the Recognition of Unpaid Carers in Australia report dropped last week and it’s a game-changer, especially for Young Carers. It`s all about giving them the acknowledgement and support they deserve. From expanding the definition of carers to making sure they`re recognised in big policy documents, this report is a big win for our Young Carers! 💪
Swipe through to have a look at some of our favourite key highlights from the report, and if you want to read more, check out our CEO Maddy’s latest blog post where she breaks down what these recommendations mean for Young Carers across Australia! 🔗 in bio!
#YoungCarers #LittleDreamers #DreamBig #SupportYoungCarers
👋 Join us in extending a warm welcome to Clara, our new NSW Regional Program Lead at Little Dreamers!
In three words, Clara describes herself as positive, caring and creative. Outside of work, you`ll find her surfing, hiking, running, and practising pilates! She also makes the effort to wake up early every morning to catch the sunrise for a daily dose of inspiration. 🌞
She’s very excited to be part of the Dream Team and can`t wait to connect with all the incredible Young Carers. Clara is gearing up to launch exciting programs in Northern NSW, so stay tuned for more updates! 👀
Check out the video recap of our Young Carers Festival VIC, which took place in National Carers Week 2023 🥳✨
Hosted at @goclimbofficial, the event featured exhilarating jumps, slides, rock climbing, face painting, a caricaturist, superheroes and more!
A big thank you to the Inner North Foundation and the Barr Family Foundation for their generous support in making this event possible, and a special shoutout to @milk.video.au for crafting this amazing video!
We are SO excited to announce that our Young Carers Festival will be running later in the year in both VIC and QLD - stay tuned for more details 👀
Our 22/23 Annual Report has just landed!
Read all about our past financial year and the pretty special milestones we`ve achieved together, including:
⭐ Welcoming a whopping 1,287 new applications for support
⭐ Increasing our revenue by 30%
⭐ Reaching an astounding 10,000+ engagements in our support programs!
Head to the link below to explore the full report 🚀✨ bit.ly/littledreamers-23impact