ABOUT US

YWCA Hunter is a women-led organisation that achieves positive change by providing advocacy, programs, and services to support, empower, and connect women and families for a stronger community. YWCA Hunter Region Inc. is part of the YWCA World and an affiliate of YWCA Australia.

What We Offer

Group of five women of different ages smiling and holding pink yoga mats, wearing workout clothes, in a fitness or yoga class setting.

Empowering women through movement, connection, and care
From strength training and chair yoga to Encore—a specialised wellness program for women post-breast cancer—our programs are designed to support physical health, emotional wellbeing, and social connection at every stage of life. View All Our Programs.

Empty indoor basketball court with polished wooden floors, yellow and blue walls, and a basketball hoop at the far end.

Accessible spaces for an inclusive community
We proudly offer affordable accommodation and hire of our full-sized indoor basketball court. These services help us create a welcoming space for all while supporting our ongoing mission in the Hunter region. Read More About Our Community Services.

Our Values

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    Respect

    Respect is the foundation of all interactions and behaviours toward people, animals, and property at the YWCA Hunter. It is demonstrated in the acknowledgment of the traditional owners of the land and our commitment to Indigenous recognition and reconciliation.

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    Integrity

    Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that are consistent throughout the organisation. It is an adherence to an ethical standard built on a strong moral code of behaviour.

    It is in practice being honest, open, and direct, of being transparent in our communications and behaviour.

    This ensures that all members of our organisation treat staff and clients alike in a consistent, ethical manner.

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    Empowerment

    We envisage a world where women have the power to act on their own authority in a self-determined manner; to exercise their rights and to be full and equal members of society.

    This begins at a very young age, and it forms a practical approach to resource-oriented intervention to enabling and equipping.

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    Connection

    We aim to contribute to the building of a strong community that is inclusive, accepting, and appreciative of diversity.

    We aim to achieve this by developing positive, effective, and cooperative liaisons with other organisations within the community; by actively complementing and enhancing services offered within our community in a non-competitive manner.

    On the home front, we strive for diversity and show value and appreciation for each staff member, board member, and volunteer’s unique contribution and knowledge.

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    Equity

    We endeavour to ensure that personal or social circumstances such as gender, ethnic origin or family background, or disability are not obstacles to participating in our programs (definition of fairness) and that all are given the assistance they require to find enjoyment and success in their participation.

    People are born into different economic circumstances, have different personalities, talents, interests, and abilities, as well as different races, cultures, and backgrounds. All of these things play a role in outcomes for individuals. Because we believe that everyone should have the chance to be successful and live a fulfilling life, we endeavour to provide varying levels of support depending upon need to achieve greater fairness of outcomes for all and not allow circumstances to create situations of inequity.

Our Vision

YWCA Hunter exists to support, empower, and connect women, children, and their families for a stronger community.

Strengthened by Christian heritage and enriched by our worldwide membership of women and girls, the YWCA Hunter Region is a women’s membership movement based on feminist principles of equality. Today, we aspire to sustainability through the richness of diversity from many beliefs and values. YWCA Hunter exists to support, empower, and connect women and families for a stronger community. The YWCA in the Hunter has been delivering services to women of the Newcastle region in later years to the wider Hunter community for 100 years.

In the Hunter, the YWCA has been supporting and working with women and their families since 1880. The YWCA Newcastle commenced operations at 113 King Street Newcastle in 1921 with club rooms, a cafeteria, classes, and a variety of clubs open to all people. The YWCA Hunter is part of a global membership-based movement of women and girls, which promotes women’s leadership and gender equality.

The World YWCA is a global network of women and young women leading social and economic change in over 125 countries. The World YWCA is one of the world’s largest and oldest women’s organisations with a global reach of 25 million women and girls. It advocates for peace, justice, human rights, and care of the environment, and has been at the forefront of raising the status of women for over 150 years. The World YWCA develops women’s leadership to find local solutions to the global inequalities women face. Annually, the network supports 25 million women and girls.

Our Team

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    Caz O'Brien

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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    Natalie Smith

    OPERATIONS MANAGER

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    Yela Wilson

    ENCORE FACILITATOR & CHAIR YOGA INSTRUCTOR

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    Cindy Cawsey

    ENCORE FACILITATOR

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    Nicole Cockburn

    ENCORE FACILITATOR

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    Lorraine Norton

    TAI CHI INSTRUCTOR

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    Donna Lavell

    SHESTRENGTH INSTRUCTOR

  • Jodie Standen

    SHESTRENGTH INSTRUCTOR

Our Board

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    Caz O'Brien

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Carolyn (Caz) O’Brien is the Executive Director of YWCA Hunter Region, where she leads programs that empower women, families, and communities. With over 20 years of experience in occupational health and safety, she specialises in psychological safety and suicide prevention. Her career includes Not for Profit national leadership roles, where she advanced mental health initiatives across Australia.

    Caz brings an extensive background in program development and research, having designed and delivered evidence-based initiatives that address complex social challenges. She is passionate about social justice, community collaboration, and creating inclusive environments where people can thrive. Her work has included grassroots mental health campaigns, strategic partnerships, and advocacy for improved access to support services in regional communities.

    Outside of work, Caz enjoys staying active with her husband and three children. Her values empathy, empowerment, and connection guide both her professional and personal life.

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    Lisa Matzanke

    PRESIDENT & SECRETARY

    Lisa has worked in leadership roles in Catholic Education for nearly 20 years. Holding a Master of Leadership and being a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Lisa brings her lens of education, leadership and governance to the board of YWCA. Her commitment to lifelong learning and strong sense of social justice and equity, have led her to commencing a PhD through the University of Newcastle, working on a project with 20 disadvantaged primary schools in NSW. Lisa brings a global mindset, having worked in an International Baccalaureate school in Alberta, Canada, and having completed a pilgrimage through the Middle East. Her lived experience as a single mother to a now teenage daughter and having Indigenous nieces and nephew, inspires Lisa to advocate for the transformative power of education and mentorship in empowering statistically disadvantaged groups in society.

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    Sally Bingham

    VICE-PRESIDENT

    Sally is a mother of three boys and a social equity advocate. She has personal experience with challenges and is dedicated to helping others and driving change. With a background in business administration and health projects, Sally works in Suicide Prevention and System Improvement at Hunter New England Local Health District. She values lifelong learning and has pursued professional development in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Management. Like many women today, Sally is committed to promoting pathways, opportunities, and social equity for everyone.

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    Camille Anderson

    TREASURER

    Camille has a strong background in capital markets and corporate finance, with experience in investment banking and professional services. She advises companies and their leaders on corporate strategy, finance, capital raising, and management. A strong advocate for equal opportunity and women's empowerment, she supports changes for more diversity and inclusion. As a French and Australian national, Camille is eager to use her experience and network to help the organization grow and achieve its mission.

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    Andrea Fernandes

    GENERAL BOARD MEMBER

    Andrea is a senior manager with over 15 years of experience in the non-profit sector. Her connection to YWCA began in her childhood in Singapore. She is currently the Strategy & Planning Manager at YSAS, a large organization that supports young people and families in Victoria. Andrea has worked in employment services, fundraising, and education. She holds an MBA in Social Impact from UNSW and degrees in Arts and Commerce, receiving First Class Honours for her research on diversity and social inclusion. She has completed The Observership Program and gained skills in non-profit board governance, contributing to several committees. Living in Melbourne, Andrea enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.

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    Brooke Arcia

    GENERAL BOARD MEMBER

    Brooke is an experienced lawyer and governance and risk advisor. Passionate about advocating for equality and sustainability from a young age, Brooke has consistently worked with organisations that make positive impacts on community, having a particular focus on human rights, diversity and inclusion, children/young people, environment, mental health and privacy. Brooke is currently working as a Senior Lawyer within a specialist for purpose sector professional services firm. She has undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in law and an honours degree in psychology (where her thesis contributed to research on discrimination and stereotyping). Brooke is Sri Lankan-Australian, growing up and living in the Hunter region on Awabakal land.

Black and white photo of a large group of people, mostly women and children, gathered outside a building with a YMCA sign. Some people are standing, others are sitting or kneeling on the sidewalk. Several women are wearing dresses and hats, children are in casual outfits, and some people are in uniforms. The group appears to be posing for a photo.
Group of women marching on city sidewalk, wearing vintage clothing and hats, in front of a store with sign reading 'Club Omonia'.

Since 1921

The YWCA in the Hunter has been delivering services to women of the Newcastle region, and in later years to the wider Hunter community for over 100 years.

The YWCA Newcastle commenced operations at 113 King Street Newcastle in 1921 with club rooms, a cafeteria, classes, and a variety of clubs open to all people. There were 800 members in 1963. The YWCA Hunter moved into the Dawson Street, Cooks Hill property in 1963, with the new gymnasium being added and opened by Betty Cuthbert in 1965. The YWCA Hostel in Parkway Avenue, Bar Beach War Memorial Hostel, was built in 1953, offering accommodation at reasonable rates plus a ‘wholesome lifestyle’ for ‘business girls and students’. It transitioned to mixed accommodation and was then sold in 2007. The YWCA Hunter has a chequered history of program delivery, and we aim to move with recognised needs/trends and available research in the community.

Logo of World YWCA featuring a blue triangle surrounded by multicolored curved bands and the text "World YWCA" beneath it.
YWCA Australia logo with a multicolored stylized triangle and the text "YWCA Australia" along with the slogan "Women leading change".
YWCA Canberra logo with pink and purple geometric design and gray text