Meet the 10 New Westpac Social Change Fellows Leading the Charge for Change

 

From breaking cycles of disadvantage to championing inclusion and second chances, the 2026 Westpac Social Change Fellows are rewriting what’s possible for communities across Australia. 

 

Westpac Scholars Trust is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 Social Change Fellowship, a unique program that supports individuals driving social change in Australia—investing not in organisations, but in the personal growth, capability and networks of the people behind them.

 

Now in its 11th year, the Fellowship has invested $5.5 million to support 110 leaders with up to $50,000 each to design their own development journey, grow their leadership and accelerate impact at scale, helping to build a stronger, more inclusive and connected future for all Australians.

 

Among the 2026 fellows is Rhian Miller, CEO and founder of EPIC Pathways, a First Nations–led not-for-profit that empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students by strengthening cultural identity and placing culture and youth voice at the centre of its work.

 

For Rhian, the Fellowship is a chance to scale what she already knows works. As a foster carer to Aboriginal teenagers and someone deeply connected to community, she has seen firsthand what’s possible when young people are surrounded by the right support.

 

She says the Fellowship will give her the learning, networks and space she needs to build those supports at scale. “It’s an investment in creating stronger futures for our kids.”

 

Andy Skidmore leads the Youth Impact Foundation, established in 2022 to unite youth organisations behind shared services and a common approach. The model consolidates youth mental health charities to reduce duplication and improve access to evidence-based programs.

 

“My vision is that no young person in Australia is left behind due to geography, ethnicity, or socio-economic status. The Westpac Social Change Fellowship is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to grow my leadership skills and drive systemic change that will make a real difference to young people who need it most” he says.

 

Improving outcomes for people who come into contact with the justice system is a focus for a few Fellows in this year's cohort, including Shayne Hood, CEO and cofounder of 16 Yards. His work centres on trauma-informed support for young people, designed and delivered by mentors with lived experience, to help rebuild identity, direction, and belief in their own capability.

 

Shayne aims to harness the Fellowship to understand leadership at a deeper level so he can carry that responsibility with greater clarity and strength. He says the experience “will give me the chance to grow in ways that strengthen the work I lead and the impact we’re making.”

 

In Tasmania, Emily Briffa’s, Hamlet Inc. is focused on creating welcoming workplaces and hands on training for people who are often shut out of jobs, turning isolation into community and participation.

 

As the Fellowship’s first Tasmanian recipient, Emily is most looking forward to the opportunity to learn from other changemakers and gaining fresh perspectives. “It will help me step out of the day-to-day, grow as a leader and bring new ideas back to Hamlet, so we can create more impact and inspire more inclusive opportunities in our communities” she says.

 

Amy Lyden, CEO of Westpac Scholars Trust, said the Fellowship is designed to support leaders whose influence extends beyond their own organisations.

 

“These Fellows are already doing important work, often in complex and demanding environments,” Ms Lyden said. “The Fellowship gives them space to reflect, learn, and build connections at a point where that support can accelerate their impact.

 

As they join our Westpac Scholars community, they become part of a national network of leaders shaping Australia’s future. We’re excited to see how their leadership continues to evolve and the contribution they will make in the years ahead.”

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2026 WESTPAC SOCIAL CHANGE FELLOWS

 

Andy Skidmore – The Youth Impact Foundation (NSW)
Strengthening youth mental health and leadership outcomes by redesigning how charities collaborate, reduce duplication and scale prevention-focused impact.

 

Carly Fradgley – Baby Give Back (QLD)
Advancing early childhood equity by building stronger systems of support so every child can have an equal start in life.

 

Claire Torkington – Ability Enterprises (QLD)
Creating supported employment, training and inclusive business services for people with disability and other barriers to work.

 

Emily Briffa – Hamlet Inc. (TAS)

Providing work-readiness, individualised training and wrap-around support for people experiencing disability, mental-health challenges and other barriers to employment.

 

Jayden Sheridan – Gnarly Neighbours (VIC)
Preventing youth disadvantage by creating belonging, confidence and opportunity through community-led, youth-driven models in regional Australia.

 

Lucy Thomas – PROJECT ROCKIT (VIC)
Tackling bullying, online hate and discrimination through peer-education workshops, digital programs and school partnerships.  

 

Rhian Miller – EPIC Pathways (QLD / NT / NSW)
Empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to lead through culturally grounded, youth-led pathways shaped by self-determination.

 

Shayne Hood – 16 Yards (VIC)
Transforming youth justice by shifting systems toward strengths-based, lived-experience leadership and pathways beyond the justice system.

 

Simon Fenech – Fruit2Work (VIC)
Reducing recidivism by creating employment pathways that support people leaving prison to rebuild their lives, families and communities.

 

Tahlia Isaac – Project:herSELF (QLD)
Helping women leaving prison rebuild futures with confidence and dignity.