Young Leaders of Tasmania - YLOT

08/10/2025

Highlights from our Spring Holiday Buddies and Community Access Program, from exploring the zoo 🦁 and enjoying the outdoors 🌳, to tennis, gymnastics 🤸, and a special visit from Cricklewood Farm Animals and Sally Sunshine ☀️. Thank you to everyone for making our week so fun and inclusive, especially our Young Leader Peer Mentor Buddies, our fabulous team of staff, and our partner organisations:
Southern Support School
Cricklewood Sally Sunshine Entertainment Hobart Zoo and Aquarium Sunshine Tennis Club Eastside Activity Centre - Gymnastics and Trampoline Club The Grace Centre St Mark's Bellerive

25/09/2025

Congratulations to the Friends School Young Leaders who assisted in organising this event for their Buddies at Southern Support School!

12/09/2025

20/08/2025

Today we welcomed to the YLOT Program at the North West Support School - Devonport Campus 🎉⭐

Congratulations to the eight students from Reece High School, we loved reading your first visit reflections as you commence this journey with your Buddies at the Support School:

"My buddy is amazing. It was amazing to be able to learn how she communicated with her Eye Gaze, and to be able to have conversations with her through that. It was amazing to see how excited she got when you asked her questions and interacted with her. I am looking forward to going back and building a relationship with my buddy... I would like to learn more of her cues and movements as her communication, and learn to communicate like that with her." 💚

"Before the visit I felt slightly nervous but after the visit I felt really happy with how the session had gone and reassured. I also feel really excited to go back next week. I feel more confident about being able to support the students at the support school and am really excited for the next time." 💚

11/08/2025

Come along and support our Founder and CEO, Keren as she shares her story, along with other Australian of the Year Awards winners on the Tasmanian Tour of Honour. This will be Neale Daniher's only public appearance in Tasmania and is sure to be an inspirational night.

Join Neale Daniher AO, Ariarne Titmus OAM, Sam Elsom and Keren Franks live on stage in Hobart, with Real Stories, Real Change – Conversations with Australians Making a Difference.

As the featured event of the 2025 Australian of the Year Awards Tour of Honour in Tasmania, this will be Neale’s only Tasmanian appearance as his powerful voice will be brought to life through cutting-edge tech.

📅 Thursday 14 August at 5:00PM
🎟️ Tickets ON SALE NOW — don’t miss out!

👉 theatreroyal.com.au/shows/real-stories-real-change

50% of ticket proceeds will go towards Fight MND💙
Sea Forest Australia Young Leaders of Tasmania - YLOT

07/08/2025

🎤 This morning Johnno caught up with Keren Franks, founder of Young Leaders of Tasmania - YLOT ahead of her appearance at the 2025 Australian of the Year Awards Tour of Honour – happening next Thursday night at the Theatre Royal.
⁠
She’ll be joined on stage by some of the country’s most inspiring Australians, including:
🌟 Neale Daniher – Australian of the Year & Fight MND co-founder
🌟 Ariarne Titmus – Olympic gold medalist
🌟 Sam Elsom – Tasmanian Australian of the Year & climate innovator
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🎟 Don’t miss this powerful night of stories and inspiration. Tickets via https://www.theatreroyal.com.au/shows/real-stories-real-change or at the Theatre Royal Box Office

💙 50% of all ticket proceeds will be donated to Fight MND!

16/07/2025

🌈❄️ Winter Fun & Connection! ❄️🌈

Our Holiday Buddies program was packed with all the fun stuff — all tied in with NAIDOC Week and celebrating culture, creativity, and community. 💛❤️🖤

We had:
🎶 Music therapy jams
💃 Bollywood Dance-offs and good laughs
🌈 Rainbow Day (so much colour + creation)
💅 Pamper Day to chill and feel fresh
🎨 Art & craft inspired by First Nations stories
👩‍🍳Cooking damper, pizza and decorating biscuits
🎳Community Access adventures!

Best part? Our peer mentor Young Leader buddies were there every step of the way — encouraging everyone, joining in the fun, and making sure no one missed a beat. 💥

Huge thanks to everyone who came along and brought the energy — you made it such a vibe! 🙌 Special thanks to our valued partner Southern Support School

11/07/2025

Full-circle moment! 💚🙌🏼

We’re incredibly proud to share this photo from our Holiday Buddies program — featuring four of our amazing employees who were once Young Leaders at Bellerive Primary School during the very first years of our school program.

Watching these young people grow through the program, volunteer as Buddies in their holidays, and now join our team of staff is what it's all about. 💫

This is workforce development in action — a pathway from primary school leadership to paid employment — and we couldn’t be prouder. Huge shoutout to both our young leader employees and our incredible support workers who’ve mentored them; and of course to the awesome participants who have inspired them along the way.

Congrats to these four legends — and thank you to the whole team! 💚

21/06/2025

Super excited to see the Burnie program return this term! Many thanks to the Department for Education, Children and Young People for renewed funding to enable our School Buddies program to return to the North West Coast.

Beautiful pictures and a message from Sarah-Jane, the Principal of NWSS:
"Yesterday, we had the pleasure of welcoming a group of students from Cooee Primary School for their very first visit to North West Support School - Burnie Campus . From the moment they arrived, these students demonstrated an exceptional level of care, consideration, and empathy. They engaged with our students with genuine patience and kindness, creating meaningful connections and showing a deep understanding and acceptance of individual difference.

The way they conducted themselves throughout the visit was a true reflection of the DECYP values—Connection, Courage, Growth, Respect, and Responsibility. These students represented their school with pride and we look forward to welcoming them back as our YLOT buddies for the remainder of the 2025 school year!"

Congratulations to you all! 💚⭐

16/06/2025

🔥Dark M**o Access Program 2025 🔥
Thank you to everyone who braved the rain at the Ogah Ogah, and sunshine but freezing temps yesterday at Winter Feast for this year's Sensory Sessions with Dark M**o .

This year's program was extremely well attended with a very long waitlist. Thank you to Dark M**o staff and all our volunteers, especially our dedicated Young Leader Peer Mentors who assisted their buddies and families with toasting Marshmallows yesterday, and at the Ogah Ogah last weekend.

As we wrap up the program for this year, we would appreciate your feedback to assist with future planning, so for those that registered please keep an eye on your inbox for a survey to follow. For any other queries, please reach out to events@ylot.org.au

Until next year, stay warm and cosy! ❤️🖤💚

Bellerive Primary School Clarence High School Howrah Primary School@thefriendsschool

16/06/2025

Last week, as part of her Tasmanian Local Hero title, Keren attended Assembly to present the Aussie of the Month award.

Congratulations to Shanaya, who demonstrated the values of inclusion, fair-go, mateship and respect, and won the award this month!

Aussie of the Month is a free primary school civics recognition program, delivered by the same network that presents the Australian of the Year Awards. For more information on signing up for this free program, visit: https://www.aussieofthemonth.org.au/

13/06/2025

Take a look at our North West Program in action today, with Young Leaders from Devonport Primary School visiting their buddies at the West Support School - Devonport Campus.

We loved what some of the Young Leaders wrote in their Reflection Journals about todays visit:

"I had a lot of fun. I really think this is an awesome opportunity to be able to make new friends and help others learn"

"I very very very much enjoy doing this program because we get to help our buddies learn things, do P.E every Friday and most of all be excellent young leaders."

"I would love to be able to look back at the past and maybe work there one day."

Congratulations to you all, what a great day! We can't wait to watch your journey unfold as you continue your year in the school program.