Our People

Positive Youth have the support of people from a range of different backgrounds who contribute in their own way to help young people identify their strengths and make deep and lasting personal changes.

THE COMMITTEE

JEREMY BOLAND

CEO and President

Jeremy is the Founder, CEO and President of Positive Youth, realising a 10 year dream to create an entity that prioritises and leverages justice involved young peoples’ strengths. Jeremy trained and worked as a lawyer before moving into youth work in Adelaide and the ACT, where he worked in roles from youth worker to community services executive manager. Jeremy also worked in legal recruitment, youth justice and corrections policy, Indigenous education and senior management in corrections. Additionally, Jeremy has 15 years experience teaching undergraduate and postgraduate law students, and was the Official Visitor at the Alexander Maconochie Centre. More recently, Jeremy’s experience includes reviewing complex National Disability Insurance Scheme access and planning decisions on appeal in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, which has given him a unique insight into the challenges faced by NDIS Participants and their families. Jeremy lives in Canberra with his wife and two young sons.

ALEX Scagliola

Vice-President

Alex is the Vice-President of Positive Youth. Alex is from the United States and grew up in Florida. After serving in the U.S. Marines Alex studied Psychology at Florida Atlantic University, a Masters of Counselling at the University of Canberra, and further postgraduate Psychology with the Australian College of Applied Psychology and the Australian Psychological Institute. Alex has built a career working to improve the relationships, circumstances and life experiences for families. Alex’s experience includes facilitating parenting groups, and working with at-risk children and young people in the NGO and government sector. Currently Alex is the supervisor for a team of family therapists and lives on the South Coast of NSW with his wife and two children. Alex also worked with Jeremy on an earlier iteration of Positive Youth’s keystone program, so he’s well qualified to advise on aspects of that program’s development and implementation.

GERMAINE MULLER

Treasurer

Germaine is the Treasurer of Positive Youth. Germaine is the founder of Futuretheory, a Canberra based marketing and design consultancy. Since working with his first client back in 2008, his mantra has always been about caring and quality. Beyond business, Germaine describes himself as a ‘citizen of the world’, having attended eight different schools in four different countries when growing up. This exposure to people from all walks of life fuels his desire to meet new people, get to know them and make as much of an impact in their lives as possible. He’s excited to be involved with Positive Youth and make a difference.

HELEN BOLAND

Secretary

Helen is the Secretary of Positive Youth. Helen grew up in Wollongong and moved to Canberra to study at the Australian National University. After graduating, Helen worked at a Federal Government Department where she contributed to the development of new policy proposals and the portfolio’s annual budget. Helen brings high level governance experience gained in government and the community sector to her role as Secretary. Helen is also the mother of two young sons, one of whom has special needs. Helen’s experience navigating her son’s behaviours and the health and disability systems has given her an understanding of some of the challenges faced by families with special needs children working hard to keep it all together.

GREG RYAN

Member

Greg is an Ordinary Committee Member. Greg grew up in Canberra and is of Irish and Aboriginal descent. Having experienced growing up in a single parent family, Greg has known the struggles of belonging. In spite of this, he worked hard to be part of something better. Greg participated in an earlier iteration of Positive Youth’s keystone program. Greg emerged as a natural leader, working as part of a team and encouraging the other participants to identify their strengths and overcome their fears. As a result of his leadership, commitment and humility, Greg was invited to return the following year as a Peer Leader. Greg’s leadership was marked by maturity and compassion, and his participation in the program helped him to identify his own strengths and realise his potential. Greg went on to win a youth sector award and work as a youth worker, supporting young men to identify their strengths as part of a photography project. Greg also played competitive rugby league. Greg now works full time and has the position of Team Leader and is a union delegate. Greg is the proud father of two sons.

Dylan Coaldrake

Member

Dylan is an Ordinary Committee Member and young person. Dylan grew up in Canberra and Cooma, NSW. Later, Dylan moved to Nambucca Heads on the NSW mid north coast where he lived independently from 17 years of age and completed Year 11, often supporting his friends with stable accommodation, a square meal and healthy companionship. Dylan transitioned to a full time apprenticeship in 2014, which he completed in 2018, becoming a qualified electrician. Dylan understands some of the challenges facing young people, especially in regional areas with high unemployment, and he understands some of the challenges that put young people in-risk. However, Dylan also understands the importance of parental love and the presence of significant adults in a young person’s life.

THE ADVISORY PANEL

Noel Thilakan

Account Manager
MTP Services
Employment Advisor

Professor Lorana Bartels

Criminology Program Leader
ANU Centre for Social Research & Methods
Academic Advisor

Jinn Khing Law

Director
Farrar Gesini Dunn
Tax and Business Advisor

VACANT

Education Advisor

VACANT

Expert by Experience

OUR SUPPORTERS