YOUHANA, Joseph

DegreeJoseph Youhana

Bachelor in Applied Management

Graduation year

2019

Current position

Community Inclusion Manager

Employer

Brotherhood of St Laurence

What are some of your career highlights?

Some of my career highlights include working as the Settlement Youth and Family Programs Manager at the Brotherhood of St Laurence from  2017-2019; and working at AMES Australia as both Team Leader (2014-2017) and Housing Officer (2010-2013).

And of course being named one of the 2021 Hume Citizens of the Year in the Australia Day Honours. The award recognised my contribution to the Hume community for my work with former refugee communities , particularly with youth. I have also been an active member of the Hume Multicultural Action Plan since 2019 helping to connect all government levels with cultural and linguistically diverse communities in Hume.

Describe the most enjoyable and challenging aspects of your job

I enjoy mentoring and encouraging future leaders. It is important we create and encourage more leaders than followers. I really enjoy when I  am able to see how my coaching and mentoring efforts help enhance and create successes in people's lives.

The challenging aspects have to do with the negative news or spin mainstream media can put on stories about migrants and former refugees. I work in diaspora communities and there are many successful journeys and stories which aren't told. I want to challenge this coverage by presenting the bigger, positive economic, social and political factors that diaspora create in Australia.

What are your strongest memories while you were studying at the University?

Submitting my assessment on time! I will never forget that. I worked full-time and have a young family which always made me leave submitting my assessments to the last possible date. But I did it. I miss that feeling.

Do you have any advice about life after study to pass on to current students?

Ensure you create work experience opportunities and webs of professional networks about you. Study by itself isn't enough if it's not combined with relevant work experience.