Linda Jury
Having experienced the devastating effects of the suicide of her teenage brother during her honeymoon just over thirty years ago, Mary Galouzis (CEO & Founder of Talk Out Loud) vowed to create a space for young people where they would feel valued and included and where they would have the courage to find their voice to share their story. While it has taken many years for the dream to become a reality, there is no time limit to saving lives and helping young people succeed. Mary has taught in a variety of roles in several secondary schools in South Australia over the past thirty years, specialising in Languages and The Arts. In addition to her educational contributions, Mary is a certified NLP Practitioner and Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor. Early in her teaching career, it became apparent that the education system was failing our disengaged students. With a number of former students back in 2011, Mary set about planning the first of many youth empowerment camps, which have since become their most effective program in combating isolation, disconnection and instilling a sense of belonging and purpose for many young attendees. Talk Out Loud became a charity in 2016. And since that time their member base has now grown to over 350 young people and their families, they have assisted over 1,300 youth on camps and retreats and reached over 5,400 students in school presentations. Mary’s personal mission is to make sure that no one who walks through their doors will ever feel isolated, unsafe or lost again.
Abstracts this author is presenting: