Our Patron

We believe in the power of inspired young people

Our Patron, Her Excellency the Honourable, Ms Sam Mostyn AC. The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.
The Y Canberra Region (formally YMCA) is deeply honoured to welcome the appointment of Her Excellency, the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC as The Y’s new Patron in 2025. Established in 1941, when Canberra’s population was barely over 10,000, the YMCA and Canberra have grown up side-by-side. As the Nation’s Capital has grown into a diverse and thriving region, so too has The Y Canberra Region charity. The Y Canberra Region forms part of the World YMCA network, which is the largest and oldest charitable youth movement in the world, operating in over 120 countries.

The Governor-General was sworn in as Australia’s 28ᵗʰ Governor General on July 1, 2024. She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2021 and a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2024 for “eminent service in the social justice, gender equity, sporting, cultural and business sectors, to reconciliation, and to environmental sustainability”.

“The Governor-General’s commitment to social justice, community wellbeing, including the right to recreate and play, and environmental sustainability, is exactly what children and young people in Australia care about today.”

The Y provides Early Years children services, RAID disability basketball and youth recreational programs, including support to The Y Sailing Club that is over half a century old. The Y also helps support 160,000 school students visiting our Capital each year to learn about democracy and civics, delivering two large student accommodation sites based at O’Connor and Nicholls. The young Y team will also deliver a Youth Parliament Program in 2026, amplifying the voices of all young people, including 25 representatives of Y MLAs.

“Children and Young people need to feel seen and heard on matters they care about and want a safe, healthy and happy, meaningful life, we look forward to Her Excellency’s patronage in amplifying young people’s voices and building a more just world and sustainable planet.”
As an organisation with almost 85 years of supporting the needs of children, young people and community across Canberra, we look forward to being inspired and supported by the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC’s patronage.