The Board

Oscar Ramos – Chairperson

Oscar is the current Children, Families and Youth Community Development Coordinator at Bayside City Council. He has been in the Youth and Community Services field for 20 years. Oscar holds a Bachelor of Youth Studies; Bachelor of Psychological Science, and is undertaking his Honours in Psychology. Oscar currently sits as a board director across three non for profit organisations, focused on raising the profile and enhancing the delivery of youth work, education, employment and social services.

“It is my vocation to work with young people and the community. I believe in a holistic approach and that we are constantly learning from each other in a fast-paced moving world. As such, it is necessary we have professional bodies such as YWA and YACVic to advocate for young people and professionals working with young people.”

Emeritus Professor Robyn Broadbent - Secretary

Robyn Broadbent is an academic, community researcher, community activist and a committed advocate for the human rights of young people. She wrote the Youth Work programs at Victoria University and has taught and managed the program for twenty-five years. Robyn has also been active in the establishment of the Youth Workers Association and continues to sit on the Board.

Robyn has worked in local, state, national and international youth affairs. She currently chairs the Commonwealth Alliance of Youth Worker Associations. Robyn has worked with Trades Hall Council, was instrumental in establishing the Visy Cares Hub, provides advice and mentoring to youth workers in a range of settings and is well known for her collection of youth consultancy work.

Robyn is proud that her professional grounding was as a youth worker in the western suburbs of Melbourne and continues to be committed to the region to ensure that all young people have access to the full benefits of a wealthy society.

Dr Cameron (Jamie) Hogan - Treasurer

Dr Hogan, commonly known as Jamie has been involved in the community services and education sectors for almost forty-years. He is a Youth Worker by profession and is a clinical counsellor, strategic and social planner, criminologist, quality auditor, trainer and assessor, and a registered lobbyist with the Victorian State and Commonwealth Government.

He has been Chief Executive and Academic Director of several highly-regarded educational institutions including serving on a number of Vocational and Higher Education boards and committees. He has been Chief Executive Officer of a large Community Services organization and has worked with street gangs and homeless young people including teenage prostitutes and drug addicts, and in Local Government, Residential Care, Juvenile Justice and Youth Services programs

He has been a Political Advisor, Campaign Director, ran two successful academic and community advisory consultancies and has taught Alcohol and Other Drugs, Youth Work, Counselling, Mental Health Community Sector Management and Front Line Management.

He actively runs a lobbyist business where he is a legal advocate and project director. Based in Gippsland Victoria he is a successful activist and lobbyist with extensive National, State, and Regional contacts in community, business and political spheres where he has represented various political candidates, community organizations and businesses in various successful campaigns

Howard Sercombe

Howard Sercombe has been a youth worker, researcher and academic in the youth studies area for over forty years. He has worked on the street in welfare suburbs of Perth, developed youth services for Indigenous young people in the outback of Western Australia, worked with Eastern European gypsy communities in Glasgow, and heroin users in de-industrialising towns in Scotland.  He was a foundation member of staff for the youth work degree at Edith Cowan University, and Professor of Community Education at Strathclyde University in Glasgow for eight years.

Howard has had a major impact in the global understanding of youth work as a professional practice, especially its ethical foundations, and on the impact of neuroscience on our perceptions of young people.  He wrote the foundation Code of Ethics for youth work for Western Australia n 1997, variations of which have become the standard across Australia, in the UK, New Zealand, Zambia, South Africa and the Commonwealth.

Howard has been a tireless advocate for youth work as a professional practice across the world, and has been General Secretary for Youth Work NSW since its inception.  He is currently Associate Professor of Youth Sociology and Programme Lead in Youth Work at Western Sydney University.

Same Kettlewell

Sam Kettlewell is a seasoned Youth Worker with over 15 years of experience in mentoring and empowering young people. She holds a degree in Youth Work from the University of Victoria and has worked in various youth organizations and community programs. Sam's expertise lies in creating supportive environments for young people to thrive, particularly focusing on at-risk youth across Australia. As the Director of Change the Cycle, Sam provides professional supervision to Youth Practitioners. She also teaches at TAFE NSW within the Health and Wellbeing team. Sam's commitment to systemic change in youth services is evident through her collaborations with schools, government agencies, and non-profits. Her contributions to the field have been recognized with awards, including Podcast of the Year for "#Grit One road in, one road out" and a highly commended recognition in the Brilliant Idea Team category. Sam currently serves on multiple executive committees, including Youth Work NSW, Youth Work Australia, and PALYCW.

Dave Fregon

Dave is currently providing Information Technology services to business and not-for-profit customers. His extensive experience in information technology and passion for social justice and supporting young people provide a foundation for his focus on digital youth work. He has worked in IT for the Education Department, as Youth Development Officer and Community Development Officer in two Tasmanian councils, as a volunteer on the phones at Lifeline, and started free food kitchens, among a plethora of other projects. Dave completed his Bachelor of Youth Work at Victoria University