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Trisha Broadbridge

Topics

After Dinner - Australians of the Year - Challenge - Change Management - Inspiration - Inspirational - Life Planning - Motivation - Overcoming Adversity

Young Australian of the Year

Just eight days after Trisha and Troy Broadbridge were married, during their honeymoon on Thailand’s Phi Phi Island Troy’s life tragically ended in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. Building on her experience as one of the original ‘Crew’ (young leaders) of the Reach Foundation, Trisha now operates the Reach Broadbridge Fund to honour Troy’s life and the values for which he stood - honesty, integrity, determination, courage and acceptance of difference. An inspiring and emotion charged presentation.

Trisha is one of The Reach Foundation’s original ‘Crew’ (young leaders), and since 2000 has been facilitating and inspiring groups of teenagers in activity based, educational programs, helping them to improve overall levels of self-esteem.  She specialises in leading workshops and that give teenagers a place where they can connect with others and be heard.

Trisha’s first experience of Reach was in 1998 at Balwyn High School when Jim Stynes, one of the founders of Reach, ran a workshop.

“I left school in Year 10 because I was struggling a bit in the school system,” she says.

About Trisha

After leaving high school Trisha went on to complete an AFL Traineeship, before being employed by Melbourne Football Club as an events assistant.

By 2001 she was ready to hit the books again and completed her VCE at the Council of Adult Education.  In 2004, she was awarded a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology and English from Latrobe University.

“During all this, I worked a huge number of hours at Reach and really enjoyed the opportunity of helping young people,” says Trisha.

After losing her husband, Troy Broadbridge, in the 2004 Asian Tsunami, Trisha joined forces with The Reach Foundation to establish the Reach Broadbridge Fund, which she now manages on a part-time basis.

She has, with the help of the Melbourne Football club, established The Broadbridge Education Centre on Thailand's Phi Phi Island. This centre assists young people affected by the tsunami, allowing them to continue to learn after such devastation. The Reach Broadbridge Fund also raises money to take Reach's youth programs to South Australia (Troy's home state).

Trisha officially launched her book, Beyond the Wave – A Tsunami Survivor’s Story on November 9 2005 at The Reach Dream Factory.
“Something that I've always lived by - and Troy lived by, too - is that no matter what happens you have got to keep going. Troy always believed that you could turn a negative into a positive,” Trisha says

In 2006, Australia celebrated Trisha’s achievements and contribution by awarding her Young Australian of the Year.  During this year, she was a contestant on Channel 9’s “Torvill and Dean’s: Dancing on Ice”.

Trisha completed her Graduate Diploma International Development at RMIT University and 2006-2009 Advisory Board Member of the Youth Mental Health Fund (Department of Health and Ageing) and Board Member of Family Life.  In 2007, Trisha was a philanthropic advisor for ANZ Trustees, managing charitable foundations.

Trisha continues to visit the education centre on Phi Phi and has recently completed a six-month stint in Cambodia as part of the International Financial Corporation's, Wing project; a program that aims to reduce poverty and improves people's lives through the provision of a technical platform for mobile banking. On her return to Melbourne, Trisha returned to her roots to take up the position of Head of Program Delivery with The Reach Foundation.

Presentation Topics Include

  • Courage in the Face of Adversity

Testimonials

Trish presented her story extremely well and was well received by the women’s group. She spoke from the heart and also answered all questions. She was amazing and it was a great opener to our Women in Business conference.
Hotondo Homes

Very Good, Trisha is a very refreshing young lady and speaks very naturally which is very endearing to the audience.
Conference of Major Super Fund

Excellent, I was hanging on every word Trisha said.  Her life experience and recovery
was a perfect fit with our theme for the day "Making a Difference".  She is natural, down to earth and completely honest and open.
Local Government Professional Assistants

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