Our People - Meet the Streetwork Team

Streetwork enjoys a tight knit team of dedicated, specialist youth caseworkers, inspirationally led by CEO Helen Banu OAM and carefully stewarded out in the field by Youth Services Manager, Thomas Dent.  The primary focus for the organisation is on high-quality frontline service support, which sees our professional Youth Caseworker team out and about, facilitating outreach activity or directly mentoring and supporting vulnerable young people. There is also a small and very efficient ‘back-office’ footprint, largely delivered by volunteers or part-time staff, always ensuring that the lion-share of well-intentioned funding reaches its intended targets.

Helen banu OAM, Chief executive officer

Helen is responsible for driving Streetwork to the next level, building on the solid foundation established under prior leaders.  Over the past 35 years she has held senior management and leadership roles across the not-for-profit sector with a focus on youth development and volunteer management.  Helen was instrumental in professionalising Streetwork's operations and is now leading our expansion to new communities in Sydney's north. Helen was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2023 and she is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD).

YOUTH SERVICES TEAM

Thomas dent, youth SERVICES MANAGER

Tom has been a youth worker since 2002 and has worked in a broad range of roles, from youth accommodation services to employment services and the arts and music sector. In recent years Tom moved to youth work management and brings invaluable and incomparable expertise to leading Streetwork's youth team.

Philip Loveday - Youth Outreach Coordinator

Phil started volunteering for Streetwork in 2022 and joined the Youth Services team as our Outreach Co-ordinator in early 2024. With an entrenched belief in and innate understanding of the power of mobile youth work and its positive impact on young lives, Phil wears his Streetwork t-shirt with great pride. Ever looking forward to more positive engagement with more at-risk young people in upcoming outreach programs.

YOUTH WORK OUTREACH TEAM

Our team of assertive outreach youth workers is dedicated to supporting vulnerable young people through our ‘pop-up’ mobile youth hubs. This crew assists young people through our soft-entry, early intervention programs, which are designed by the young people themselves. We currently deliver a barbering program in Dee Why, a street art program in Chatswood, and a sports program in St Ives.

finance team

Lisa Sellars-Jones, Finance Manager (part-time)

Stephanie Angkhawut, Bookkeeper (part-time)

Administration team

Virginia Wise, Administration (part-time)

Marissa Banu-Lawrence, Grant Writer (part-time)