Lauren French

Lauren French (She/Her) is a proud Karajarri women who had the joy of growing up on Larrakia Lands in the Northern Territory and has always been passionate about finding ways to support and empower First Nations children and families. Lauren believes that every young person deserves a life filed with respectful relationships and equitable experiences. A large focus of her work has centered on helping move others away from viewing mob through a deficit lens and understanding the very real strengths community holds in preventing harm.

After completing her bachelor’s in psychology, she had the incredible opportunity to volunteer with Body Safety Australia. This work opened her eyes to both the heartbreak of violence experienced by children, as well as the joy in helping them find their voice. Since 2017 Lauren has been working in this field facilitating workshops across early childhood, primary and secondary school spaces with children, educators, and families. In her current role as Head of Education & Community Development, Lauren specialises in prevention of child sexual abuse, consent & respectful relationships, puberty & sexuality and LGBTQIA+ equity & inclusivity education. Her work in schools has been highlighted in the SBS documentary series ‘Asking for It’, a series exploring Australia’s current issues with sexual violence.

Along with her Bachelors, Lauren holds a Master’s of Sexology and is a member of the Society of Australian Sexologists (SAS), Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and the Australian & New Zealand Mental Health Association. Lauren has presented on her work and experience at multiple conferences, including the 2022 Indigenous Wellbeing Conference and the 2023 National Child Protection Conference. Lauren is also the proud recipient of the 2023 Indigenous Achievement award in the 2023 7News Young Achiever Awards (Victoria).