While acknowledging life as CEO of the Y Northern Territory will be quite different from her previous job as Chief Operations Officer with the Y NSW, Emma believes her new position offers a rare opportunity to make a difference to the lives of children, young people and their communities, most notably young Indigenous Territorians.

“I’ve been given a chance to lead an organisation that delivers services that benefit community which fulfills a strong sense of purpose in me. But it’s also about going into the new role with your eyes wide open,” says Emma, who is particularly excited by the YNT’s Remote Pools Project, a communityled program developed to improve the health of First Nations people.

The Y works in partnership with remote Aboriginal communities to operate swimming pools in partnership with the local communities in Utju, Ltyentye Apurte and Yuendumu in the Centre as well as Borroloola, Ngukurr, Lajamanu and Wadeye in the Top End.

The Remote Pools Project aims to develop life-long water safety skills and promote healthy living practices that minimise the onset of chronic disease in children and young people.

In addition to its health and safety benefits, the project also provides employment opportunities for local people to work as lifeguards, pool assistants, swim teachers and team leaders to manage and operate public pools in their communities.

Recently two lifeguards from Utju, 200km west of Alice Springs, travelled to Brisbane for the 2024 Australian Olympic Swimming trials to promote the project.

Emma says she was captivated when she first heard about the project and is looking forward to working with the team to grow its impact.

“I know this initiative is absolutely front and centre for the board who are looking to expand the project in partnership with communities,” she says.

But she remains steadfast that the Remote Pools Project must be underpinned by respect for community wishes and local capacity building, so that community-led pools can operate safely and sustainably.

And she believes it is critical that local staff and volunteers are set up for success to ensure the on-going viability of the project.

“It’s an amazing program that requires funding to expand and grow.”

She says winning additional funding and philanthropic support for the project will mean working with local communities and building on existing relationships which may require looking to seemingly unlikely connections.

The Y has programs across 28 locations in the Northern Territory and one of Emma’s priorities in the first three months will be getting out to meet the people operating each of the different services.

This will include visiting the seven remote communities where the pools project is operating to see first-hand the benefits of community-led pools.

In addition to the Remote Pools Project the Y manages three public pools for City of Darwin, regional recreation facilities, and is also the largest provider of childcare places in the NT.

The Y also operates the Darwin Hostel and delivers a wide range of youth services including the Back2School education support initiative and Northern Territory Youth Parliament, youth spaces and offers young people opportunities through the NT Youth Parliament.

“I have been given a real opportunity to make a difference,” Emma says of her new role.