Community Workers Forum: Building resilience during the cost of living crisis

We know this year has been particularly challenging for you and your clients with the added stress of high energy prices and cost of living pressures.  

We’re looking forward to welcoming you to our Community Worker Forum to hear from various speakers including the NSW Rental Commissioner and the CEO of Energy Consumers Australia about the work they are doing to better understand the experiences of tenants and energy consumers.

Confirmed speakers are listed below and the full agenda will be emailed to attendees who RSVP in coming weeks. We’re looking forward to seeing you at the Forum.

Please limit RSVP’s to two people per organisation so that a range of community services have the opportunity to attend the forum.

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:

• Janine Young, Ombudsman, EWON

Janine Young was appointed Ombudsman in November 2014. Janine has extensive experience providing independent dispute resolution services, both as the Victorian Public Transport Ombudsman and the Deputy Ombudsman at the Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria). Janine was appointed Chair of the Australian and New Zealand Ombudsman Association (ANZOA) in November 2019, after serving on the Executive for several years. She is also a former Board Member and Chair of the La Trobe University MBA Advisory Board. In 2012/2013, Janine was on the Standards Australia QR015 Committee responsible for reviewing the Guidelines for Complaint Handling in Organisations. She also sat on the Board of the Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals. Janine spent most of her early career in the automotive  industry, including three years as a change management consultant specialising in process and service improvement. She holds undergraduate qualifications in Marketing and Management, an MBA and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

• Trina Jones, NSW Rental Commissioner
  

Trina Jones is working to drive change for a fair, quality, and affordable renting experience in NSW. She has more than 15 years’ experience leading responses to complex social issues including housing affordability, homelessness, community safety, food insecurity and drug and alcohol use in Australia, the UK and Ireland. Trina’s leadership positions as CEO of Homelessness NSW, Deputy Chair of Homelessness Australia, and in local government give her a deep understanding of the complex challenges to deliver quality, safe and affordable homes for all. Trina seeks to work in partnership with renters, property providers, industry experts, advocates and community leaders for greater impact, informed by those with lived experience to develop innovative solutions resulting in lasting system change. Trina holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications (BA) and a Master of Arts in Community Development (MA).

• Dr Brendan French, CEO, Energy Consumers Australia

Dr Brendan French is a leading consumer protection and dispute resolution expert, with extensive executive experience across corporate, academic, public, and community spheres. Prior to joining Energy Consumers Australia as CEO, Brendan championed consumer interests as the Commonwealth Bank’s Executive General Manager Customer and Community Advocacy and before that as Deputy Ombudsman at the Energy and Water Ombudsman NSW (EWON). He also taught in the Law School at Western Sydney University, was a Board director for a number of consumer and charitable organisations, and is a published author of academic and popular texts. Brendan holds a doctorate in the History of Ideas and has been awarded for his innovative work on fostering trust between community, corporates and government.  

• Thea Bray, Senior Policy Officer, Public Interest Advocacy Centre

Thea has been a Policy Officer for PIAC’s Energy and Water Consumers’ Advocacy Program (EWCAP) since April 2017. Her focus is on people experiencing vulnerability. Thea has over a decade of experience working in policy, campaigns, and household energy and water reduction project design and implementation. Before coming to PIAC, she spent four years as a Project Manager at Low Energy Supplies and Services. In this role she designed and implemented energy and water saving projects for governments and energy and water providers in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia. Most of these projects focused on households with low incomes and other vulnerabilities.

• Carolyn Campbell-McLean, Disability Training and Communications Consultant

Carolyn is a Senior Community Support Specialist at Muscular Dystrophy NSW. Carolyn has a professional background in social work and communications, and is now a consultant trainer, MC and public speaker. Currently working on a variety of projects in the disability, peer support and training space, Carolyn is well known for her networking and ability to relate to any audience. Successfully recruiting her team of supports to live independently for the past 20 years, and now self-managing her NDIS package, Carolyn trains and empowers others to build their confidence and take control of their lives.