Amilie Courtney is a 17-year-old transgender girl and passionate advocate for child safety, trauma-informed care, and the rights and well-being of the LGBTQIA+ community. With a fierce commitment to amplifying the voices of victim-survivors, she works across community, advocacy, and education spaces to expose the realities of child sexual abuse and push for systemic reform. Amilie has spoken in national parliament for Transcend Australia and, more recently, at the Courageous Conversations conference. She is excited to continue sharing her story and engaging with leaders on how we can better support queer young people and survivors in our communities.

I am currently studying a degree in social work honours at University of New South Wales. I hope that I can apply my experience with psychodynamic theory, systems theory, empowerment theory and trauma informed care to holistically work with our our clients.
I am quite passionate about the organisation’s endeavour to alleviating mental health, children’s right and sexual violence. Young persons should have their development protected as their childhood is a strong determinant of their life trajectory. I aspire to engage in robust and proactive advocacy.

I am currently in year 11 and proudly Indonesian-Australian. I am very passionate about protecting children and making sure that all children and youth can grow up in an environment where they feel safe and cared for.

I spoke at the 2025 QFCC Youth Summit about the role of young carers in Queensland. I also love debating, civic engagement and academic enrichment opportunities. When I finish school, I plan on studying law or political science. I aspire to one day work in a human rights space and advocate for marginalised groups.

Claudia Kurowski is a 16-year-old student from Cairns, Far North Queensland, with a strong passion for youth voice and women’s advocacy. Recently named the 2025 Cairns Young Woman of the Year, she is the co-founder of The Gratitude Initiative, a youth-led charity focused on supporting young women and girls across Queensland through community fundraisers and awareness campaigns.

She currently serves as the Youth Member for Cairns in the YMCA Queensland Youth Parliament for both 2024 and 2025. In 2024, Claudia was the youngest in the program and held a government cabinet role. In 2025, she was appointed Youth Minister for Health, where she advocates for improved mental health services and accessible healthcare for young Queenslanders.

Outside of Parliament, Claudia is part of the myQCE Student Reference Group, where she contributes to shaping senior secondary education in Queensland. She is also a Push-Up Challenge Ambassador and a Youth Ambassador for UNICEF’s U-Report, helping to amplify young people’s perspectives on key issues.

As a member of the Bravehearts Youth Advisory Group, Claudia intends on using her role to ensure that young voices are meaningfully included in discussions around child protection, consent education, and prevention strategies. She hopes to help create a future where safety, respect, and accountability are non-negotiables for every young person.

I am deeply committed to creating safe, inclusive communities where young people are empowered to lead and thrive. My passion for youth advocacy and community development drives everything I do. I hold a Bachelor of Communications from Western Sydney University and am currently completing a Master of International Relations at Macquarie University, reflecting my dedication to global engagement and policy reform.

I currently serve as President of the Nepean Region Rotaract and am a founding member of JCI Northwest, where I lead initiatives that foster leadership, service, and social impact. Previously, I was NSW Event Lead for the Australia–Latam Emerging Leaders Dialogue, promoting international collaboration and dialogue. In addition, I am an Administrator for ShelterBox Australia, supporting disaster relief efforts worldwide.

My community involvement extends to serving as a Justice of the Peace for NSW and volunteering with the NSW State Emergency Service. I successfully advocated for youth representation in local government, helping establish the Youth Committee for Penrith Council. Through these roles, I strive to amplify youth voices and contribute to building safer, stronger communities for all.

I am a TEDx Speaker, Co-Founder and Chair of the RUOK? Youth Board. I founded the Academy of Speakers; an organisation dedicated to building resilience, self-confidence and self-esteem in children that has taught over 400+ students. Currently, I am studying a Bachelor of Commerce and Law at the University of Sydney. I also work full-time at UBS and I am an Advisory Board Member for Maxme, a self-development tech start-up focusing on how to increase customer acquisition and user retention.

Lauren Buxton is a Psychology student at the University of New South Wales and advocate. She is an ongoing member in the University of Melbourne’s AVA Project as a Working Group Member and is a part of Fullstop’s Advisory Committee. Lauren is also currently the National Survivor Healing Group Manager for ‘What Were You Wearing? Australia’, where she manages peer workers and mental health professionals across multiple states to provide quality and accessible support to survivors.
Outside of her advocacy work, she is an administrative and marketing assistant for two psychology clinics, and volunteers in a variety of organisations such as Lifeline, Griefline, Raise Foundation and Reach Out.

Lauren has aspirations of working as a Clinical Psychologist and is in the midst of studying to achieve this goal. She hopes to raise awareness and enact meaningful change for survivors.

I am honoured to serve on the Youth Advisory Council for Bravehearts, a role that allows me to advocate for children experiencing sexual abuse. As a survivor myself, I joined Bravehearts because I lacked the support and voice I needed during my own experience. I am deeply passionate about fighting for a world free from child sexual abuse, ensuring that every child feels safe, heard, and supported.

Currently, I am preparing to start Year 12 in 2025, with plans to study nursing or medicine at university. My dream is to dedicate my career to helping others and making a meaningful impact in their lives.
In my free time, I enjoy going for long runs with my energetic Kelpie mix, Winnie, and finding balance through staying active outdoors.

I’m a 15 year old, Grade 10 High School and TAFE student. I currently aspire to become a psychiatrist and help the lives of those around me. I’m incredibly passionate about the problems Bravehearts is tackling and I will do everything I can to make good change in the world, no matter how difficult. I hope to help increase support to minority groups and those affected by sexual abuse, and to help inspire those that maybe can’t see the light through the dark. It such an honor to be a part of this committee and to see what change we can make happen.

I am studying a double degree in criminology and law at the University of the Sunshine Coast, and I am passionate about protecting young and vulnerable people. I currently work as a research assistant, and hope to continue working in research once I graduate, to contribute to practice and policy regarding the prevention of child exploitation. I hope to be able to make a meaningful contribution to Bravehearts’ mission as a member of the Youth Advisory Council.

I am a passionate and dedicated advocate for justice, currently pursuing a Bachelor of Law/Media at UNSW. My extensive volunteer and human-rights experience combined with my knowledge of survivor-informed advocacy is a valuable asset in policy discussions and education initiatives that centre lived experiences.
For me, being on B-YAC is about using my skills in combination with my values to help create a safer, more informed community for children and young people. Through B-YAC, I hope to grow as an advocate and deepen my understanding of youth-led change, learning from others on the council, and help to make real, meaningful change.

Hi, I’m Rachel and I’m so honoured to be a part of the Bravehearts Youth Advisory Committee! I’m based in Sydney and currently studying in hopes of becoming a clinical psychologist. As a Griefline telephone-crisis supporter, a Lifeline Digital crisis supporter, youth mentor at Raise Foundation, a maths and piano teacher, I am super passionate about protecting children from sexual abuse and advocating to reduce the stigma around the trauma and to encourage a supportive environment for victims.Through my work and advocacy, I hope to contribute to meaningful change and empower victims to feel heard, valued, and supported.

I am an ambitious and dedicated student currently completing a double degree in Law / Criminology and Criminal Justice at UNSW. Due to my strong interest in social justice issues, I have always been dedicated to supporting the vulnerable members in our society and ensuring those members have equal access to relevant resources and opportunities. A central focus of this commitment is protecting young people from harmful behaviours, particularly sexual abuse.

Becoming a member of Bravehearts’ Youth Advisory Council represents a meaningful opportunity to contribute to building a safer Australia for children and young people. Through this role, I aim not only to actively advocate for positive change but also to deepen my knowledge and access resources that will strengthen my capacity to support and protect vulnerable communities.

I am currently studying Bachelor in Psychology minoring in Criminology at Western Sydney University. I work as the Youth Influencing Officer and also as a Young Consultant for the CREATE FOUNDATION working in supporting young people in out-of-home care and I work As a mentor in The Intensive Support OOHC Adolescent Program with Recovery Coach.

I currently sit on the Mental Health Commission’s Suicide Prevention Council and ACAYP Youth Steering Committee. When I am not working, in a meeting or studying, I enjoy photography, a good book, good food, and watching my 2 Year old attempting to scale the baby gates, trying to figure out how to walk in my heels and how to apply my makeup.

I joined the Youth Council with Bravehearts not only to help be a part of their mission in preventing the exploitation of children, supporting survivors and most importantly educating young people and adults on prevention, warning signs and the impacts of exploitation of children, but also because I have a Personal Connection. To me, their mission is particularly important as I was a Victim and now I am a Survivor of child exploitation. I am hoping to use that experience to make a  contribution to positive change for all those affected by exploitation.