YOUTURN APPOINTS NEW CEO

Youturn Youth Support’s Board of Directors, is very pleased to announce the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tanya Bell, with effect from Monday, 4th October 2021. Bell replaces Andrew Anderson who departed the organisation at the end of June, to pursue a new opportunity in Sydney.

“Following a rigorous and competitive selection process in which both external and internal candidates were assessed for the role, we are particularly pleased that this has resulted in the appointment of an internal candidate with a detailed understanding of Youturn and the complexities of our organisation,” said Paula Holden, Youturn’s Chairperson.

“We believe that Tanya is an outstanding choice, bringing a wealth of experience, passion and dedication to the organisation with a proven track record. We are confident that Tanya is more than capable to step into the position, provide continuity of purpose and lead Youturn through our next chapter,” said Holden.

Dr Bell has been with the organisation for almost 4 years, most recently in her role as General Manager, Corporate Strategy and Engagement where she confidently led the Community and Partnerships team through several exciting initiatives including the rebranding from United Synergies to Youturn Youth Support. In addition, Tanya has been a valuable member of the Executive Team working on the strategic direction of the business.

Before that, Dr Bell spent two decades in the public health sector, working for research and academic institutes, state government departments, as well as non-government agencies including Medical Locals and Primary Health Networks.

“I am extremely proud to be appointed to lead this wonderful organisation. Having lived and worked across many of the communities where Youturn operates, I am thrilled about this opportunity and look forward to continue shaping our services to support local young people in need.

On hearing of Dr Bell’s appointment, Andrew Anderson was delighted with the Board’s decision. “I am very pleased to see Tanya stepping into the role and I believe she is the right person for the job! She will uphold the values of the organisation and is well equipped to continue building upon the foundations that the leadership team has laid. I am really excited to see what is next for Youturn,” Mr Anderson said.

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A photo of Tanya Bell can be accessed HERE

Notes to the Editor:

Youturn is a not-for-profit charity based at Tewantin that was started over 30 years ago to help address youth homelessness in the Noosa region. Since then, the organisation has grown substantially working with young people and those that support them, expanding their focus to include Child Safety, Mental Health, Suicide Prevention and of course Homelessness.

Their humble beginnings started as a Youth Homelessness grass roots project in 1989 with the Noosa Accommodation Project (NAP) which was officially launched by 5 volunteers supporting six young people. They have grown significantly since then to work at 14 locations across South East Queensland with a staff base of 160 employees and last year helped over 8,600 people.