Karen McNamara (Dobell, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Over the past few years I have had the pleasure to get to know Richard Eifler, who is the CEO and founder of Next Step. Next Step is a youth outreach program that provides innovative programs to support, empower and improve outcomes for young people, particularly those who are vulnerable and at risk in the local community. Having grown up in a disadvantaged area himself, Richard was determined from the age of 13 that he was going to be a youth worker. Even at 18 years old, Richard committed himself to helping disadvantaged young people through a youth services program. In his early 20s, Richard expanded his experience and pursued street outreach work, working with organisations such as Impact Youth Services, Youth Off The Streets and Life Without Barriers. But, even though he was working with such outstanding youth programs, Richard still had a dream to start his own youth outreach program, and in 2012 he founded Next Step.

His courage and tenacity in following his passion and achieving his goals are inspiring. He spent two to three years pursuing building and fostering relationships with people who would be able to help him get Next Step off the ground. As he recalls, he lost count of the number of doors that were closed in his face, but he did not give up. He kept an attitude of growth and openness. Richard has always been willing to learn and grow. As a result of his persistence, Next Step is now a well-established, functioning, youth outreach program that is going from strength to strength.

In 2013, Next Step established a Saturday night youth outreach program in Watanobbi, with three hours of activities for local youth and a free sausage sizzle, providing a safe and non-threatening environment, enabling Richard to engage with young people who might otherwise slip through the cracks. In 2014, Richard partnered with Lorraine Rogic, and Next Step was growing, taking on support cases such as a young father and son who were living in a car. Richard worked with the father in a mentoring and support capacity, helping him navigate Centrelink, source a home through Housing New South Wales and obtain a grant to help with basic whitegoods and financial counselling.

Throughout this time, all of Richard's work was unpaid. He would work two to three jobs at any given time, doing whatever he could and whatever was offered in order to support himself, as he was committed to seeing Next Step firmly established. His whatever-it-takes attitude is now beginning to bear fruit, as 2015 saw a fee-for-service model take shape. Through LeapFrog the door was open to provide his mentoring program in the foster care system. He was then approached by Samaritans to run his fee-for-service mentoring program. He was also successful in gaining a $25,000 grant through Impact Youth Services to support three professional youth workers over the next 12 months. I wish Richard continued success with Next Step.

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