Sally Smith

About Sally:

Sally brings a mix of personal experience, practical know-how, and quiet determination to her work at Alchemy. After years in the creative industries, she made a shift into community services where she found real meaning in helping young people feel seen, understood, and supported.

Sally has spent over ten years working in the child protection system, specialising in trauma informed care, mentoring, and systemic advocacy. This legacy continues to shape her commitment to building supports that are child centred, strengths based, and sustainable.

With a background in social science (behavioural major) and lived experience as an Austistic ADHDer (and mother to 2 Autistic children), Sally gets the complexities of navigating systems that were not built for neruodivergent individuals. She’s worked across out-of-home care, mentoring, and disability spaces, and now focuses on building supports that are flexible, respectful, and human.

Sally plays an important role behind the scenes at Alchemy, designing tools and resources, which support staff to stay grounded and thoughtful in their work. Her creative thinking supports innovations an development of programs, frameworks and more.

Qualifications:

Bachelor of Social Science (Behavioural Studies) and also holds a Cert IV in Child, Youth and Family Intervention. Sally is also a qualified Child Safe Environments trainer (Through Their Eyes), equipping others with tools to create safe, accountable spaces for children and young people.

What does Alchemy mean to Sally? 

“I’m here to challenge the systems that overlook children, youth and adults that do not fit their designs – and build the ones that truly see them. I believe there is space in the world for every individual when given the opportunity to thrive.”