What it takes to design services that genuinely support young parents to thrive, not just survive.
With the right supports in place, young parents can thrive; building strong, secure futures for themselves and their children. However, this potential is shaped by the realities of a unique life stage, where young people are navigating their own developmental transition while adjusting to the demands of parenthood. This dual development is often compounded by structural barriers including stigma, fragmented service systems, disrupted education pathways, housing instability and social isolation. Aligned with the mission of the Australian Young Pregnant and Parenting Network, this interactive workshop explores what it takes to design services that genuinely support young parents to thrive, not just survive. Drawing on human-centred design (HCD) approaches, participants will be guided through practical tools that centre the voices, experiences and strengths of young parents. The session will introduce user personas and journey mapping as methods to better understand the lived experiences of young parents, uncover hidden barriers, and identify opportunities for more responsive and integrated service delivery. This reflects growing evidence that outcomes improve when young parents are actively engaged in shaping the services intended for them and when their voices are meaningfully embedded in design and decision-making processes. Through a hands-on activity, participants will map a young parent’s experience of navigating services, identifying emotions, actions and opportunities at key moments of interactions with services. The session emphasises a shift from deficit-based approaches toward strengths-based, participatory ways of working that position young parents as capable, resourceful and central to solution-building. This workshop contributes to a broader conversation about how systems, services and communities can work together to create the conditions in which young parents and their children can truly thrive.
Presenters: Naomi Deneve & Emma Carmody
Naomi has over 15 years of experience leading complex projects that apply human-centred design to support parents and practitioners in delivering evidence-informed programs. She provides leadership across both practice design and implementation, integrating lived experience, practitioner knowledge and research to develop tailored resources for organisations supporting families. Naomi guides and mentors multi-disciplinary teams and stakeholders through design processes, training, and coaching, ensuring programs and frameworks are embedded effectively into practice. She has worked across multiple sectors, including government, community services, and health, as well as rural and remote contexts, adapting solutions to local needs while fostering collaboration, capacity building, and sustainable innovation. Naomi is passionate about using human-centred design to drive evidence-informed change and deliver positive outcomes for children, families, and communities.
Emma Carmody is a Senior Practice Design Specialist at the Parenting Research Centre with over 20 years’ experience across child protection, domestic and family violence, and early intervention systems. She works at the intersection of research, design and implementation, supporting organisations to translate evidence into practice that fits the realities of service delivery. Emma specialises in human-centred design, co-design and capability building, partnering with practitioners and leaders to strengthen service systems and improve outcomes for children and families.