As a Housing Manager in the Housing ACT Youth Team for the past 2 years, Josh Smith has brought his lived experience into government in ways that amplify his compassionate, trauma-informed practice.
He works directly with young people aged between 16 and 25 to provide tenancy management support to young people who have exited from out of home care or have had youth justice involvement. The role includes property inspections, debt management, complaint management and other components like support with transfers and referrals.
Throughout his work, Josh is sensitive and responsive to the unique pressures that these young people face. His appreciation of their challenges means that his approach honours every young person’s dignity, avoids re-traumatisation, and prioritises consent, patience and collaboration. He anticipates each individual young person’s needs, connecting fragmented services, and quietly removes barriers, whether it’s smoothing complex referrals, co-ordinating resources or advocating for flexible policies.
Beyond his work in direct service delivery, Josh advocates within government for the needs of young people to be centred in decision making, and he brings a pragmatic and compassionate point of view to his work. He is extensively involved in mentoring frontline staff in the community sector. His efforts here encourage a positive relationship between government and community agencies, one that continually improves and centres young people, resulting in tangible housing outcomes.
