Jules does it for the KIDS

Jules Allen is an award-winning youth advocate. For 20 years she has worked in youth support, child protection, as a school counselor and in private practice as a specialist consultant for young people, families and adults in crisis.

“I had my own troubled beginnings and wanted to use my experiences to help others in the same situation I had been in,” she said.

“I arrived in Lennox Head in 1999 as a single mother escaping a domestic violence situation. When I was ready, I decided to apply for a job with Ballina Youth Services and that’s where my journey really began.”

For the last three years, Jules has been working as specialist consultant and public speaker nationally.

She has (and still does) addressed schools, youth forums, women in business and large corporate audiences.

Despite her success, Jules is still most proud of her children, believing them to be her greatest achievement.

“I am incredibly proud of my children,” she said.

“Three of them are not my birth children and they have had their own rough starts. They are all wonderful, kind young adults.”

Jules said she also felt privileged to have counselled young people out of some very dark places.

“I have also had a handful of young people tell me that they were about to commit suicide. Something I said changed their minds, so it doesn’t get much better than that.”

Last year Jules delivered a TED Talk challenging the concept of “resilience”, which was met with a standing ovation. She was also part of the ABC’s Australian Story in 2014, and appeared on MasterChef as a contestant in 2013.

“Outside of my family success, I recently won the Southern Cross University Alumni of the Year Award, the most prestigious award granted by the university.

“It was given for a lifetime commitment to those in need and it was a huge honour.”

As an ambassador for National Foster Care and Adoption, Jules has been working alongside Deborah Lee Furness and Hugh Jackman in instigating policy change at a state and federal level.

“I have been in Torquay for nearly two years and have noticed a lack of support for young people in crisis and those dealing with them. I would like to be a part of supporting the community I live in.

“Funding is always the biggest problem though, that, and as a society we need to be made aware that our young people are in absolute crisis.

“Suicide is now the leading cause of death for young people in Australia. It’s devastating and we need to stop blaming young people and start supporting them.”

Jules has made the decision to go back in to private practice, counselling people on a one-on-one basis, having become acutely aware of the lack of information and support on offer for the parents of young people on the Surf Coast.

Jules will be running four parent forums across four months, addressing a diverse range of topics affecting parents and young people in this changing climate.

“My parent forums will focus on the specific issues affecting kids in the area. It aims to educate parents on these issues and provide them with the tools and skills to best manage the issue; whether it’s drugs, alcohol or social media.

As well as a counselor and advocate, Jules is an opinion writer for Kidspot magazine and website The Carousel, and is a regular co-host on Studio 10.

“My experience is also based on the many mistakes I have made, so I come from a very non-judgemental place. After 20 years in this industry, there isn’t much I haven’t seen.”

Head to julesallen.org or follow her on Instagram @Jules.Allen.