Organisation Profile
Issue No. 41 - June/July 2008
SAYF puts youth in focus
by Pamela Brombal
In the not-too-distant future, more than 60% of
SA’s population will be in retirement and today’s youth will be in the driving seat, supporting and steering
our economy.
Who will fill the boardroom chairs, the service counters and office receptions in years to come? Today’s youth – and the more of them we can get fit for work, the better.
David Keogh, founder and Director of the South Australian Youth Foundation, wants to equip more of today’s young people for the challenge.
David founded SAYF to advocate harm prevention and positive development options for youth from troubled circumstances. He is a clinical psychiatric nurse working in our State’s Emergency Departments and well versed in helping young people who have problems with suicide, self-harm, abuse and gambling.
“We recognise that family breakdown, educational failure, poverty, unemployment, homelessness and mental health issues are huge risk factors that dramatically increase the likelihood of any young person being vulnerable to abuse, as well as potentially developing life long poly-substance and gambling dependencies,” David says.
“Along with all the SAYF officers and volunteers, I feel compelled to help – our end goal is to provide programs and services aimed at prevention - and where needs be, maintenance if not outright cure.”
David started SAYF in July 2006. Based in Hindley St, the youth organisation and charity is age specific, non-religious and apolitical. David monitors demographics to judge where SAYF’s services will be needed most over the next decade or so.
He says the first aim of the foundation is to inform young people about substances of abuse, processes on how to minimize and prevent harm, and promote positive life choices.
The SAYF does not receive any funding from government or religious organisations and relies on membership - corporate memberships and sponsorships, fundraising and investments - f...
