Helen Connolly is South Australia’s inaugural Commissioner for Children and Young People. Her role in this leadership position is to influence key stakeholders, civil society organisations (including non-government, not-for-profit, volunteer and community organisations) and policy makers working at the systemic level in relation to children and young people’s rights, interests and needs.
Through her work, Helen is driving the message that listening to children and young people should be our priority. She believes that where possible we should work with children and young people to co-design solutions that take into account their opinions, ideas and lived experience.
Helen believes the wellbeing of South Australia’s children and young people should be at the heart of everything we do. She uses a variety of ways to communicate this message and writes regular opinion pieces for Medium and LinkedIn and mainstream print press. She is often asked to comment on subjects relating to children and young people, presenting her findings and views at numerous events and conferences on behalf of SA’s children and young people.
Below is a chronology of articles Helen has contributed to since coming to office in 2017.
MEDIUM FEED
‘Leave no one behind’ say 200 young people at the Poverty Summit 2019
More than 200 young people gathered at the Adelaide Festival Centre on Friday 28 June for the 2019 Poverty Summit, I hosted in partnership…
Jul 12, 2019 / 3min read. Read More
Children are by nature respectful:
So let’s stop teaching them racism.
May 31, 2019 / 5min read. Read More
Federal Election Priority: Place our children and young people front and centre for a change.
On the eve of our Federal Election I am reflecting on what it means to put our children and young people front and centre when designing…
May 17, 2019 / 5min read. Read More
Young people know what will deliver a more youthful city– if only we’d ask them
Evidence shows that young people worldwide are seeking opportunities to participate in building communities that value their energy and…
Apr 12, 2019 / 3min read. Read More
Mental Health: what children and young people have told me they need from us
Over the past 20 months since taking on this role, children and young people have told me and taught me a lot.They have taught me they are…
Mar 22, 2019 / 4min read. Read More
The world is changing for children and young people in regional communities.
They are globally connected and are part of a large youth generation that has high expectations of their community leaders along with a…
Feb 27, 2019 / 3min read. Read More
Mixed Messages — we tell our young people to stand up for themselves, then criticise them when…
As a child of the 60's I grew up in an environment of children should be seen and not heard. As a student I was asked to accept what I was…
Dec 06, 2018 / 5min read. Read More
Children and Young People deserve our accountability
In the world of accountability; feedback and complaints mechanisms have prominence.
Sep 28, 2018 / 3min read. Read More
It’s National Child Protection Week.
On Wednesday I was part of a NAPCAN panel discussion talking about the importance of valuing and respecting children and young people’s…
Sep 07, 2018 / 4min read. Read More