Les Twentyman OAMYouth Advocate

Social Campaigner Media Commentator

Author

Speakers Brief

Les Twentyman has been on the front-line of heartbreak and hope for over 40 years. As one of Australia’s best known youth outreach workers and social campaigners, Les has developed his expert opinion the hard way - on the street.

Raised in Braybrook in Melbourne’s West, Les has devoted his life to young people doing it tough, predominantly in but not restricted to, Melbourne’s Western Suburbs.

Les is widely considered an expert on a range of community issues including youth homelessness, drug abuse, prison reform and social welfare. He is the first stop for Victorian and national media outlets for the word on “how it really is”. He has featured in hundreds of television, radio & print press interviews and has been a regular newspaper columnist and article contributor. He also features in a number of documentaries, most notably ”The Ohio Gun Buyback Scheme”, “LA Gangs”, “Can We Help”, “20 Minutes with Twentyman”, “Heroin Without the Hype” and "The Westside Watchman".

Since returning full-time to his first passion, The 20th Man Fund (recently renamed "The Les Twentyman Foundation"), he has shone a light on emerging youth issues like gang violence, weapons carriage, cyber bullying and the growing trend of truancy in our education system. The hard-hitting DVD “The Realities of Cyber Bullying” and Community Service Announcement - “Knives Trash Lives” are testament to Les’ “pull no punches” approach to the damage caused to youth through peer pressure and social media.

Les is often called on to visit volatile regional areas of Australia in a bid to bring about harmony and cooperation where gangs and youth violence is a problem. He has also accompanied the Governor General, state Government ministers and leaders of industry to the ‘mean-streets’ of Australia they never thought existed.

In addition to his tireless work with disadvantaged youth and media commentary, Les is a well credentialled public speaker. His speaking engagements include schools, community groups, service clubs, corporates, Government Departments and business conferences. He has also been engaged by AFL and NRL clubs to address young players on the pitfalls of “celebrity”. A testament to his reach was Les being asked by the Dalai Lama to introduce his Holiness at his Melbourne conference in June 2013.

Les is the founder of the The Les Twentyman Foundation, established 1984. The organisation is dedicated to providing educational, sporting, leadership, emotional and crisis support services to our homeless, disadvantaged and disconnected youth.

Awards Order of Australia Medal - 1994

Victorian of the Year - 2006Australian of the Year ‘Finalist’ - 2004

Australian Centenary Medal - 2003Great Australian Achiever Award - 1998Committee for Melbourne Award - 1995

Advance Australia Award - 1996Paul Harris Sapphire Award - 1998

Tattersalls Award for Enterprise & Achievement - 2001Tattersalls Centenary Award - 2004

Speaking Snapshot LAPD Gang Squad, USA

Liverpool Police Department, UKStrathclyde University, Scotland

Kolding University, DenmarkMembers of Parliament, ACT

Victoria Police, VICThe 500 Club, WA

The Escor Group, VICNewcastle Upon-Tyne Fires Service, UK

Visy Industries, VICBarwon Prison, VIC

National Lions Club Conference, WAVictoria University, VIC

Carlton Football Club, VICNAB Conference, VIC

Indigenous Community Forum, VICAustralian Teenage Expo, VIC

Responsible Gambling Forum, VICABC Youth Forum, VIC

Bendigo Bank, VICMens Shed, VIC

Melbourne Storm Football Club, VICInternational Nursing Conference, VIC

Koori Youth Day, VICSW Melbourne Youth Mental Health Conference, VIC

Western Football League, VICVicsport Industry Forum, VIC

Victorian Education DepartmentDeputy Principals Network

Melbourne UniversityVictoria University

Wesley CollegeBrighton Grammar School

Melbourne Grammar SchoolLeibler Yavneh College

Castlemaine Secondary CollegeSaint Bernards College

Kaniva College

Media Al Jazeera - 101 East Program, INT

News Service - Channel 7, VIC/ NATNews Service - Channel 9, VIC/ NAT

News Service - Channel 10, VIC/ NATNews Service - ABC, VIC/ NATNews Service - SBS VIC/ NATToday Show - Channel 9, NAT

Sunrise - Channel 7, NATBreakfast - Channel 10, NAT

The Midday Show - Channel 9, NATLateline - ABC, NAT

60 Minutes - Channel 9, NATChannel 5 News Service - Cleveland Ohio, USA

LA Gangs Special - Channel 9, NATCan of Worms - Channel 10, NAT

The Exchange Chat Show - Foxtel, NAT3AW, VIC6PR, WA

2GB, NSW5AAA, SA

Radio Australia, NATHerald Sun - Columnist, VIC

Leader Newspapers, Western Independant - Columnist, VIC

Mount Scopus Memorial CollegeCatholic Regional College

Swan Hill Secondary CollegeEchuca Secondary College

Woodleigh SchoolAve Maria CollegeMowbray CollegeThe Knox School

Fitzroy High SchoolSurrey Hills Primary School

Hoppers Crossing Secondary CollegeHarvester Technical College

Bacchus Marsh CollegeFootscray City Primary School

Wheelers Hill Secondary CollegePenleigh and Essendon Grammar School

Ivanhoe Grammar School

For all enquiries regarding Les Twentymanspeaking engagements, please contact -

Angela Rumble Administration Manager

The Les Twentyman Foundation

03 9689 4800angela@LTFoundation.com.au