Associate Directors Join Youthrive Victoria

Announcement from Bruce Anderson, Chair of Youthrive Victoria

The Youthrive Victoria Board has undertaken to strengthen its membership through the creation of two Associate Director roles to be filled by members of our alumni. We recently concluded a process of application and interview and I am delighted to announce Jacob Chacko and Nick Young will be formally appointed as Associate Directors at our next meeting. We have a number of objectives in this initiative though primarily it is to have strong advocates sharing the views of young rural and regional adults at the board table. The engine room of Youthrive Victoria is the alumni led by our CEO and her team. The two Associate Directors will strengthen both the Board and alumni to create thriving rural and regional communities through developing their young people.

The creation of these roles is also to develop governance experience and knowledge amongst our alumni and build succession options for the board in the longer term.

Jacob Chacko

Jacob currently works as a Policy Advisor in the Australian Parliament – focusing on Indigenous Affairs and Social Policy. He is a Youthrive Scholar and completed a Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Laws at Monash University where he was a member of the Vice-Chancellor’s Ancora Imparo Student Leadership program. As a migrant to Australia, Jacob moved to Benalla with his family and remains deeply connected to that place. As one of the early participants of the Youthrive program, Jacob has witnessed the organisation grow and has been involved in its various programs. Jacob is passionate about rural policy and believes Youthrive plays a significant role in promoting regional and remote life in all its diversity. Though currently based in the Kimberley (WA), he still calls Benalla home.

Nick Young

Nick is completing the final semester of his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) at Monash University. He is a Youthrive Scholar, a Monash University Excellence Scholar and the Senior Research Assistant to the Dean of the Monash Law School. Nick grew up in Warrnambool and cares deeply about access to education, particularly for rural people. He has volunteered as a teacher in East Timor and India and with UN Youth Australia. He is currently piloting the Youthrive Victoria Branch Out e-mentoring program to encourage and empower regional Victorian high school students to access further education.