Multicultural Youth South Australia Inc (MYSA) is a leading community-based, not-for-profit organisation that provides a diverse range of services and programs to support young people and young families from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds living in South Australia.
Together we can help young people be the best they can be.
MYSA works towards a community where all young people are equipped with the resources and opportunities to fully participate in social, cultural, economic and political life. MYSA inspires and challenges young people to work towards their goals and full potential at their own pace and according to whatever stage of personal, social and cultural development they are at. MYSA serves young people through research and policy development, sector development and capacity building, direct service delivery and community capacity building.
In our commitment to reconciliation, we proudly presents our first Reconciliation Action Plan (Reflect) which lays the foundational steps for fostering enduring relationships, deepening respect, and creating meaningful opportunities with and for First Nations communities. As we gather on Kaurna Yarta, we pay our respects to the traditional custodians of the land, acknowledging the significant role they play in our community and the broader South Australian region.
Our RAP is informed by Reconciliation Australia’s framework and features contributions from our community, stakeholders, and our inaugural patron, Gavin Wanganeen. Within this plan, you will find statements from our Co-Chief Executive Officers and Reconciliation Australia’s CEO, expressing their support and vision for our reconciliation journey. Our RAP outlines specific actions and commitments across key areas such as relationships, respect, and governance.
As a leading multicultural youth organisation, we aim to bridge cultures and generations, working towards a future where every young person can proudly embrace their heritage and contribute positively to society. Our RAP is not just a plan but a reflection of our values, commitment, andoptimism for a reconciled future.
To learn more about our actions, goals, and the people driving our reconciliation efforts, see our full RAP.
These principles and values define who we are as an organisation. They are embodied in our culture, keep us centred, and remind us of our “true north”.
We foster an organisational culture where innovation is encouraged, recognised and rewarded
We hire staff from diverse backgrounds to promote diverse ways of thinking
We keep inquiry at the heart of everything we do
We lead complex and original initiatives that involve multiple stakeholders
We create significant social impact
We avoid organisational empire-building and self-aggrandisement
We use our surplus funds for good rather than hoarding them
We choose excellence over growing in size and assets
We share our skills, knowledge and resources with others
We collaborate with others to align resources and strengthen joint efforts
We are open to new ideas and ways of doing things
We are not bound by how things are generally done
We think outside the square
We participate in research to create new knowledge and understanding
We work with the private, government and academic sectors to facilitate the development of new ideas and strategies
We continuously seek to improve our understanding and performance
We keep up-to-date and respond to key changes, trends and developments in the field
We look for examples of good and promising practice that we can implement
We are constantly changing and adapting
We learn from rather than repeat mistakes
We work with complex social problems
We think critically to form careful judgments
We are open-minded and inherently inquisitive
We adapt to change
We show courage in decision-making
We employ highly skilled and qualified staff who adhere to our high standards of professional practice
We operate with integrity and hold ourselves accountable
We tailor our approach to the context and the communities we support
We engage in self-reflection to achieve our best
We have respect for and work collaboratively with others
We have a “can do” attitude
We are both present and future focussed
We anticipate obstacles and plan ahead
We explore a number of different sources of information when faced with a problem
We believe that good things can be achieved even when this does not seem likely to others
We have in-depth knowledge and experience of the communities we support
We operate at the coalface, not in an ivory tower
We roll up our sleeves and get the job done
We are realistic and pragmatic in our approach
We collaborate with others to address the needs of the communities we support
We put people first
We are open-handed and generous
We have skills and competencies which extend beyond our immediate roles
We are flexible and responsive to the needs of the communities we support
We make influential contributions in a range of areas
MYSA is committed to advancing the needs, interests and concerns of CALD young people and young families at both a state and national level. This is achieved by reflecting the qualities of good leadership including vision, innovation, inspiration, adaptability, wisdom, competence, communication, self-evaluation and confidence.
Our approach integrates the following activities to support young people:
Providing direct support to young people.
Assisting local communities and social infrastructure.
Supporting the community services sector.
Leading research and innovation.
Tackling the challenges for youth at risk head on.
Advocating for change.
A community where all young people are equipped with the resources and opportunities to fully participate in social, cultural, economic and political life. This includes:
Advancing the interests of young people.
Delivering quality in service.
Producing meaningful outcomes.
Engaging & collaborating with the community.
Driving change to improve the wellbeing of young people.
Promoting positive awareness of our multicultural youth.
Care + qualifications = success.
As part of these activities, we have undertaken a consultation and planning process to review our current work, set new priorities and focus our efforts and resources on future improvement and development. Download our 2012-2026 Strategic Plan below:
MYSA is governed by a Board of Management who together are responsible for the overall strategic direction of the organisation. MYSA’s senior management team consists of highly qualified and experienced personnel with graduate and postgraduate qualifications in social work and extensive experience in CALD youth service delivery.
Ms Tamara Stewart-Jones has over 20 years of leadership and service delivery experience in the human services in both mainstream and multicultural contexts. She has extensive knowledge and experience in responding to a range of social issues and problems, having worked across service areas as diverse as settlement, health, homelessness, drug and alcohol, crisis intervention and domestic violence.
Ms Stewart-Jones advises on multicultural issues in a range of forums to inform policy and service delivery to multicultural communities. Her stakeholder engagement includes partnerships and relationships with government Ministers, policy makers and program managers and a wide range of government and non-government service providers, schools, community groups, and private business sector organisations.
Dr Helena de Anstiss has over 20 years of leadership and practice experience in the multicultural community services sector. Her practice experience includes policy development and analysis, service planning, development and evaluation, and sector development and capacity building. She presents and advises on multicultural issues in a range of government, non-government and community forums.
Dr de Anstiss has also maintained a program of research resulting in research grants and associated publications, conference presentations and reports. Her research is industry-driven, applied and interventionist, and designed to inform the policy and practice context in which government funded services are delivered to children, young people and young families from migrant and refugee backgrounds.
MYSA's leadership is reflected across several areas including:
MYSA is the only multicultural youth-specific organisation in Australia that has achieved accreditation with Australian Service Excellence Standards (ASES), an internationally accredited quality improvement program. MYSA was first assessed in 2013 and has been re-audited every 3 years since, on all occasions achieving a perfect score of 100% for its youth programs.
MYSA has developed a range of innovative programs which have been recognised in several community awards.
As a leader in the field, MYSA presents at a range of state, national and international conferences including health and mental health conferences, cultural diversity conferences and child, adolescent and youth development conferences.
MYSA was originally known as the Multicultural Youth Network of South Australia (MYN-SA). MYN-SA was formed in response to a national project undertaken by the Australian Youth Policy Action Coalition (AYPAC) and the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA).
The project aimed to encourage the multicultural and youth sectors of each state to work together to establish a network to focus on multicultural youth issues. The network worked to raise the profile of issues facing multicultural young people and encouraged peak and government bodies to take action on specific issues and areas of concern.
In 2002 MYN-SA became incorporated and changed its name to Multicultural Youth SA (MYSA). MYSA’s head office is currently located in the CBD of Adelaide. MYSA also has a second site in West Croydon and has access to several other locations where it provides outreach services to clients.