The social sector has long championed the importance of prevention and early intervention. But knowing prevention works and demonstrating it to funders are two different challenges. For leaders working with vulnerable children and young people, the shift toward evidence-informed practice and outcomes-based funding has created both opportunity and pressure.
Terese Hooper, Chief Executive Officer at Life Ed NSW/ACT, understands this tension intimately. Her own childhood, marked by neglect and disadvantage, gave her “a very real understanding of how much it matters to have someone in your corner.” That lived experience drives her commitment to creating conditions that give children a stronger start. But sustaining that work at scale requires more than passion.
“One of the most impactful areas of my work has been strengthening how we measure and understand impact across our programs,” Terese says. Moving beyond participation numbers to demonstrate real changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviours has been “critical not only for improving our programs, but also for building confidence with funders and partners that prevention and early intervention are delivering meaningful outcomes at scale.”
For a sector balancing increasing demand with sustainable funding models, and facing increasingly complex issues from mental health to digital environments, Hooper’s approach offers a roadmap to staying connected to purpose while being equally committed to rigour.
Q&A with Terese
What inspired you to pursue a career in the social sector?
Growing up with neglect and disadvantage meant life often felt unstable and, at times, pretty unforgiving. This gave me a very real understanding of how much it matters to have someone in your corner, a trusted adult, a safe space, or even just someone who sees your potential.
I know firsthand that without those supports, the trajectory for a young person can look very different. That’s what drew me to this work. I’ve always been motivated to help create the conditions that give children a stronger start, and education is one of the most powerful ways to do that. It builds confidence, opens doors and gives young people a sense of agency over their future.
What is the most fulfilling part of your work?
It’s seeing the ripple effect. When we support a child to feel confident, make safer choices or better understand themselves, that impact extends into their families, their classrooms and their communities.
Equally fulfilling is working alongside passionate educators and teams who care deeply about what they do. There’s something powerful about being part of a collective effort that is genuinely improving outcomes for young people.
What is the most impactful project you have worked on so far?
One of the most impactful areas of my work has been strengthening how we measure and understand impact across our programs. Developing more robust evaluation frameworks has allowed us to move beyond participation numbers to demonstrate real changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. This has been critical not only for improving our programs, but also for building confidence with funders and partners that prevention and early intervention are delivering meaningful outcomes at scale.
What are the biggest developments you have seen in the social sector so far?
There has been a significant shift towards evidence-informed practice and outcomes-based funding, which is a positive step. Alongside that, there’s growing recognition that prevention and early intervention deliver far greater long-term impact than reactive responses.
We’re also seeing stronger cross-sector collaboration, with education, health and community services working more closely together. This is essential for tackling complex social challenges.
Related: Bringing business discipline to community impact
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our sector nowadays?
Balancing increasing demand with sustainable funding models is a constant challenge. At the same time, the issues facing children and young people are becoming more complex, from mental health to digital environments and substance use. The sector needs to continue evolving, while maintaining clarity of purpose and ensuring that services remain accessible, scalable and grounded in evidence.
What emerging technology or trends do you believe will shape the sector’s future?
Digital delivery and blended learning models will continue to expand our reach, particularly in regional and remote communities. Data and evaluation tools are also becoming more sophisticated, allowing us to better understand impact and continuously improve. At the same time, there’s an important balance to strike. Technology should enhance, not replace, the human connection that sits at the heart of effective social sector work.
What advice would you give aspiring leaders in this sector?
Stay connected to purpose, but be equally committed to rigour. The sector needs leaders who are both values-driven and outcomes-focused. Take the time to listen to communities, to frontline teams, and to young people themselves. And don’t underestimate the importance of building strong partnerships—meaningful change rarely happens in isolation.
Tell us more about your organisation. What is something unique about it?
Life Ed has been supporting children’s health and wellbeing for over four decades, with Healthy Harold recognised by generations of Australians. What makes our model unique is the combination of trusted, face-to-face delivery with scalable, evidence-based programs that span ages 3 to 17.
We work directly with schools, educators and communities across metropolitan, regional and remote areas, providing not just student learning, but also support for teachers and families. Our focus is on prevention, equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to make safer, healthier choices throughout their lives.
That combination of reach, trust and impact is what continues to make Life Ed both relevant and deeply valued in communities today.
Share Your Story
Are you a leader or practitioner making a difference in the social sector? We want to hear your insights. Your experiences help bridge the gap between policy and the real-world impact on families.
Submit your story via our submission form here.
Ritchelle is Content Team Manager at Akolade, producing stories for Australia's not-for-profit sector at Third Sector.
Trending
Popular
