Youth Advisory Council 2023

Jessy is 21 and a proud Gubbi Gubbi woman who lives in North Brisbane, Queensland. She is currently in her fourth year of her Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology)/Bachelor of Justice (majoring in Policy and Politics). Jessy works a number of jobs including as a receptionist at a psychology clinic and being a QUT student ambassador for the Oodgeroo Unit (Indigenous Student Success Program) and Equity for Widening Participation.

Through these roles, she sees firsthand the impacts of mental ill-health as well as the benefit of therapy. Jessy also works with a wide range of diverse youth (including First Nations people) to help them aspire to something after they graduate high school, whether that’s going to university or into fulltime work. She believes that no matter who you are if you’re passionate enough you can do anything.

For the past year Jessy has also been a part of the Queensland Family and Child Commission’s Youth Advisory Council. Last year in Perth, she spoke and then chaired at the National Child Protection Forum about the importance of hearing from youth on matters that impact them. In 2022, she also spoke to the Mental Health Select Committee around her experiences and recommendations to the current mental health system.

Because of Jessy’s life experiences individually and in her family and community, she is extremely passionate about mental health and wants to help others. She believes education around mental health and providing effective resources to those in need, is critical to creating positive change. Jessy is also extremely passionate about First Nations rights and justice. In particular, First Nations mental health and how we can create better outcomes for Indigenous people and further researching the impacts of racial trauma.

In the future, Jessy hopes to do many things, possibly become a clinical psychologist, do research around critical race theory and racial trauma and continue to advocate for issues that she is passionate about.