Youth Advisory Council 2023

Finlaey is a passionate mental health activist, youth sector professional and podcast host, who lives on the Whadjuk Noongar lands never ceded, in Boorloo (Perth). Proudly queer and neurodivergent, she grew up in Undalup (Busselton) and moved to the city to pursue her career and a Bachelor of Arts (Journalism and Creative Writing) at Curtin University.

Her lived experience of complex mental health and trauma, encountering injustice within the clinical space and the lived experience of her loved ones, ignited her push for change. Over the past five years, she has championed the rights of young people with mental ill health in various capacities and organisations. She has worked with the Youth Affairs Council of WA, the Mental Health Commission, the Western Australian Association of Mental Health and the Youth Disability Advocacy Network. Her outspoken advocacy has made an impact nationally, with appearances on ABC National, Channels 7 and 10, and Triple J Hack. She was a Mission Australia Young Changemaker finalist for the WA Youth Awards in 2022.

Finlaey’s drive for change centres around intersectionality, regional youth mental health and gaps in community mental health supports for young people who are unable to access primary or tertiary services.