Blog

Anna Nuynh

Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Arts, Monash University

“I am grateful for the opportunities that both Doxa Youth Foundation and KPMG has given me and will continue to utilise this to better myself and opportunities for others who come after.”

Hi there, I’m Anna! I completed my third year of a Bachelor of Business & Bachelor of Arts degree at Monash University in 2023, and I’ve been a Doxa cadet at KPMG. My association with the Doxa Youth Foundation traces back to high school when I undertook the University Pathways Program in Year 9. Having been introduced into the program by my brother who was already a cadet at that time, this was my first taste of what the foundation could offer for students like me, supporting our personal growth and unlocking our potential. As I’ve progressed through these programs, I find this to continue to be the case, especially now that I have taken on the role of a cadet myself.

Over the summer, Doxa’s establishment of a sponsorship with KPMG allowed me to complete my first cadetship placement with the “Emerging Talent” division in their People & Inclusion team. Having a business major in human resources, this gave me invaluable insight into the career I’ve been aiming for. To say that those 8-weeks were eye-opening would be an understatement, as it not only gave me a corporate experience but also allowed me to explore the numerous pathways of HR and experiment freely. I got to work on a variety of tasks that really expanded my horizons and collaborated incredibly closely with teams from all around Australia including Sydney, Brisbane, etc… that lead to many unofficial yet lasting mentorships.

What I learned from this time at KPMG is that there are several pathways you could take even if it’s just in one field of focus. Like in HR for example in my case, there are many roles you can play and tasks you can experiment with before you find your ultimate passion. Whilst corporate environments like these can be perfect for those who know exactly what they want to do, the openness to let people find themselves can also be extremely beneficial for people like me who are still figuring it out.

In 2023, the Doxa Youth Foundation’s Cadetship Program celebrated its 30th Anniversary. Over the past three decades, more than 500 cadets have participated in the program which has equipped candidates to develop both personally and professionally. The sponsor companies that supported the program have provided invaluable mentorship and life-changing opportunities to the Doxa Cadets. Without the unwavering support of our sponsors throughout these 30 years, the program would not have thrived, and the hundreds of Doxa Cadets who successfully completed the program might not have experienced the transformative journey and outcomes they received.

The 30th Anniversary celebration took place on November 30, 2023. It was a delightful evening attended by alumni, cadets, sponsors, and staff. The atmosphere buzzed with connections, both new and old. David Lugton, the Doxa Cadetship Manager, addressed the gathering, followed by a heartfelt speech from one of the program’s pioneers, Hakki Semirli. Hakki, who graduated from the program in the mid-’90s with a Bachelor of Medicine, shared inspiring words. As we continue to nurture the program for future participants, we hope these connections between cadets, old and new, will flourish. You can find more photos of the event on Instagram or Facebook. Follow us to stay informed about upcoming news and events!

DYF ran camps during the Easter school holidays, which were very popular with lots of enquiries. They were held both in the Melbourne CBD and at at our country camp in Malmsbury.   Each camp catered for 40 children in Grades 5 and 6.  The campers did all sorts of fun things from seeing a magic show and going sailing in Melbourne, to visiting Kyral Castle from our Malmsbury Camp.  KISS 101.1 runs the Eye Ferris Wheel and minigolf on the St Kilda foreshore and very kindly ran an exclusive session for our campers free of charge (see photos below).

On Sunday afternoon October 2, the Doxa Youth Foundation hosted a golden jubilee party at its Malmsbury Camp.  DYF was celebrating 50 years of improving the lives of children and young people in challenging circumstances.

Over 300 adults and children attended.  There was a large contingent of those involved with Doxa over the years as well as local residents who came along to join in the fun and frivolity.

There was delicious food all day long and lots to and see and do, pony rides, face painting, archery, climbing walls, trampolines and a roving magician. A special treat was the arrival of the Lexus Melbourne Cup trophy and a session chaired by TV personality, Shawn Cosgrove where he introduced and asked questions of racing celebrities.

Julie Harrison, CEO said “there is a long-term link between the Doxa Youth Foundation and the racing industry as it raised the funds to establish the organisation way back in 1972.”

The second shortest day of the year turned into one of the brightest nights for Doxa. Close to three years of lockdowns and workplace readjustments gave a significant event an even greater festive feel as we were able to get together in person and share in celebrating the achievements of a new group of Doxa graduates. Celebrating the completion of cadetships from 2019, 2020 and 2021 with good food and good company brought the full effect of being involved with Doxa to everyone’s mind; working with others to help them achieve their potential. We were very grateful to have many of our sponsor companies represented on the night.

They are the foundation of the programme, provide mentorship and real-world learning opportunity and we hope they will continue to partner with us on our ambitious journey. We were also honoured to have Fr. Joe Giacobbe, Doxa’s founder with us to hand out the Completion Certificates. We were also honoured to be able to formerly bid farewell to Ivana Crabb as she moves forward with her career as a student counsellor. Many of those involved with Doxa acknowledge Ivana’s tireless work in keeping the wheels of Doxa Youth Foundation turning while the worlds of education and business were in lockdown. We miss you already.

Participants from the Les Twentyman Foundation at our Malmsbury Camp.

With the easing of COVID restrictions, we are finally able to welcome back community groups to our Malmsbury Camp after a two-year absence.  We partner with not-for-profit organisations to provide camps for their service users on the weekends and during the school holidays. Over the last month, this has included refugee families from the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project and young people involved with the Les Twentyman Foundation.

The Doxa Youth Foundation is commemorating its 50^th Jubilee this year.  We will be having a big celebration at the Malmsbury Camp on October 2.  There will be a delicious lunch, fun activities for all ages, interesting memorabilia to look at, culminating in the cutting and eating of a huge birthday cake. You will receive your invitation in the mail soon. For further information contact Julie Harrison at jharrison@doxa.org.au or ring 0419583457

Photographing nature at our Malmsbury Camp

Our Malmsbury team has been implementing a range of new activities to nurture children’s and young people’s appreciation of the natural world and the need to care for it.  We have upscaled our kitchen garden so that campers can experience harvesting and cooking fresh produce to encourage healthy eating and an appreciation of sustainability.

We have also introduced bush photography, which is very popular with our campers.  Children and young people photograph flora and fauna in the bush to encourage them to slow down and observe and to value the natural environment.  Campers often proudly take their best photos home to show to their families.

We had a very enjoyable drinks party for the alumni of the Cadetship Programme on July 14^th.  We had around 60 attendees which covered the full spectrum of participants from some of our earliest graduates to current cadets. It was held in the CBD at Higher Ground, which is located in an industrial chic former power station with exposed brick walls. Felix, our very talented roaming magician, added a special sparkle to the evening. We had some wildly enthusiastic responses to the event and will organise another one before the end of the year.

Current cadets, Yusra Idris and Felicia Nguyen.

DYF founder Joe Giacobbe with two of our first graduates, Hakki Semirli and Cathy Denaro.

After being closed for over a year due to COVID 19 restrictions, our Doxa Malmsbury Camp reopened on April 19, the beginning of Term 2. The campers in our first week were from the Springvale South and Broadmeadows Valley Primary Schools. They all had lots of fun while having positive developmental experiences.

We have several new team members at the Doxa Malmsbury Camp as given the camp was closed for so long, many of our 2020 staff left for other positions. One of these, Bradley Whitmore, our Maintenance and Grounds Coordinator, attended a Doxa Malmsbury Camp when he was a grade 4 student at Kyneton Primary School. He still has fond memories of this time he spent with us.