After 11 years working at Perth Inner City Youth Services, Kirsten Stender stepped down this month as PICYS Manager, though she says she will remain active with the DSG Network. Kirsten’s time at PICYS was marked by many progressive initiatives that tackled the issues facing trans and intersex youths. When asked about the highlights of her time at PICYS, Kirsten Stender told OUTinPerth, ‘In regards to the queer or DSG [diverse sexualities and gender], obviously the Opening Closets project was just an amazing project.’ She went on to say, ‘day to day, just watching young people move from a fairly distressed, unwell state to a happier state and being able to manage their lives better is what kept me going each day.’
Kirsten plans to take some time off for a holiday to ‘refocus her life.’ After a week on Rottnest Island, she will head up north. Charles Snelleksz-Mathelot will take over as manager of PICYS, and Kirsten admits she left him a ‘wish list’ for the future of the organisation.
