PCYC leaders gather for an impactful safeSPACE™ Conference
19 June 2025
Nine PCYC safeSPACE™ Program Managers and Coordinators from across WA— from Kununurra to Bunbury— came together in Perth for the 2025 safeSPACE™ Conference. Over four days, the team connected in person to share ideas, strengthen collaboration, and build on their vital work with young people in their communities.
The first two days focused on leadership development, beginning with an interactive workshop led by Aimee from Optivva Consulting. Aimee guided the team through the principles of emotional intelligence and effective communication, essential skills for supporting young people with complex needs. Staff applied these insights to real-world challenges, including the pressure of navigating service delivery in a regional context. The session had a powerful impact, equipping the team with practical strategies to lead with empathy and confidence.
On day two, Kylie Wallace, Director of Safeguarding WA, led an engaging seminar, helping the team to understand the importance of creating a reflective practice culture in services. Staff were introduced to practical strategies to integrate reflection into their everyday work and explored how greater collaboration across Centres can assist with capturing the impact they have on young people across the state.
YACWA Conference
The final two days were spent at YACWA’s highly anticipated fairGROUND Conference. This event was an important opportunity to engage with youth organisations from across WA and hear about the latest work happening in the sector. The team heard from keynote speakers such as Youth Work WA, who delivered a workshop on the new Code of Ethics, and Rika Asaoka, who discussed the importance of cultural safety in programs within diverse communities.
It is vital that our youth services remain current, relevant, and responsive to the needs of young people and the communities they work within. For teams spread across the state, opportunities to collaborate beyond their own programs can be rare. By bringing our leaders together, we were able to build the capacity of our teams and strengthen relationships, not only within the safeSPACE™ team, but also with stakeholders and organisations working alongside at-risk young people across WA.
