Lighthouse Foundation’s new CEO, Brenda Boland, is three weeks into her role and diving right into the important work we do to support children and young people experiencing homelessness. We sat down with Brenda for a Q&A, please read below.
After working in government organisations for over 30 years, what made you decide to come to Lighthouse?
I loved my time in government working in policy and operations and being involved in major reforms such as the closing of institutions for children, moving to a single-track child protection system, implementing individualised funding for people with a disability and Aboriginal Self Determination which sees many more Aboriginal children supported within their communities, by their local Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations. I worked with some amazing people and feel very privileged to have had such rich experiences.
In saying that, I was keen to be closer to families and communities and have more flexibility in implementing solutions that work for children and keep them safe. I am passionate about intervening early to reduce exposure of children to trauma and I am not sure large government departments are agile enough to progress some much-needed solutions in a timely way. Childhoods are fast and precious, often setting the trajectory for people’s lives, and bureaucracies, whilst filled with very clever people, have other competing priorities when considering and implementing reforms. I have had the privilege of seeing first-hand the impact of leaders such as Professor Muriel Bamblett AO and Andrew Jackomos PSM, among others, in effectively advocating and demanding change from governments for Aboriginal children. They have inspired me to do more, and my move to Lighthouse reflects this, as I see enormous opportunities for Lighthouse to support more young people and their families.
What does Lighthouse do differently for children and young people?
Lighthouse is focused on building resilience, unpacking trauma and assisting young people to recover by allowing them time to heal. We are not focused on rushing the process as children recover when they feel safe, and this takes time. I often say Lighthouse understands the importance of putting a “pause” into young lives and letting them know we will stay on the journey with them.
How will you use your experience to support Lighthouse?
Supporting young people requires a team effort, and I will work with our teams and partners to assist Lighthouse to grow in a purposeful way, ensuring we maintain a steadiness and utilise the “magic” of Lighthouse’s strong clinical and therapeutic input to guide the children and young people who trust us with their care. I am an amateur historian and knowing the history of children and family welfare in Victoria, I have seen what works well and what doesn’t. I hope I can use this wisdom in my work at Lighthouse. I am learning as well, that never stops in this line of work. I am always energised!
Is youth homelessness a growing issue?
Sadly yes. You can’t have a significant amount of Family Violence, mental health needs and housing issues in a community and not see a huge impact on young people. There are some great initiatives to support young people into housing, and we are here, along with many other agencies, to provide support, but that is often just the beginning of their recovery journey. As I said earlier it takes time.
How do children and young people who have experienced homelessness inspire you?
I am inspired by young people all the time. Homelessness is so much more than a lack of housing. It’s hard to imagine what life must be like for a 14-year-old child who feels their best option is to couch surf, sleep rough or end up in the company of adult criminals who offend against them, often plying them with addictive substances to coercively control them. As a community, we need to wrap our arms around them and keep them safe.
