Meet the team

Jasmine Thompson

MITS Financial Controller

My mob is Mamu Warribarra and we are rainforest people, from the Atherton Tablelands in Far North Queensland. I grew up in a big family, the middle child of seven children. Three of us live in Naarm (Melbourne) but the rest of my family is around home near Gimuy (Cairns). The pictures I’ve added are of the farm I grew up on, where my twin sister is currently living & raising her daughter (my not-so baby niece pictured). 

Every day at MITS, I’m inspired by the students. The courage the students show to transition to Melbourne for their education at a young age is incredible & it makes me want to show up every day to make sure as an organisation we can keep giving them the opportunity to do so. The students are vibrant, energetic young people & it is the highlight of my week going to DEAR at Guling or assembly or chatting to the students that drop into the office for a yarn. 

I also worked at MITS as a Boarding Coordinator in 2021 and 2022 and got to know the current cohort of Year 12 students. Seeing both the beginning and ending of their secondary education journey with MITS and the milestones they have achieved in this time makes me so proud of each & every one of them. 

Alicia Wyatt

Volunteer working with the senior boys through art and cooking programs.

I’m a local Richmond resident and have lived here with my husband Danny and our two children for almost 30 years. Danny works locally, our daughter Aaliyah is currently studying Nursing, and our son Austin is studying Commerce at the University of Melbourne. I work part-time in support work, and before that I worked as a graphic designer, which is where my creativity and love of art first began.

My connection to MITS began through our local Richmond football club, where some of the MITS boys played alongside my son Austin and also attended school with him. Seeing the sense of community and opportunity the school created for the boys really inspired me and made me want to get involved.

I first met some of the teachers and students at Citizens Park when they took an interest in my two dachshunds. At the beginning, I thought I might volunteer by bringing the dogs in to spend time with the students, but during the application process my background and passion for art came up, which naturally led me into running art sessions with the boys instead.

I truly enjoy being involved with the boys and creating opportunities for them to express themselves creatively. We’re currently preparing a fantastic project for the upcoming art exhibition, which I’m really excited about. “Tech-Free Thursdays,” introduced last year, also created a great opportunity to use that time creatively through art activities and occasional cooking sessions with the boys.

Austin Wyatt

MITS Volunteer

I first became involved with MITS through my schooling at Trinity Grammar and the school’s connection with the organisation. Since then, I have enjoyed volunteering through tutoring and helping with transportation for students.

I am currently studying Commerce at the University of Melbourne and enjoy playing sports such as basketball and footy. What inspires me most about MITS is the strong sense of community and the opportunity to support students as they transition to life and schooling in Melbourne. It has been a really rewarding experience meeting so many great people and seeing the positive impact the organisation has on students and their families.

Meet Some of the Teaching Team