1. Les Twentyman OAM
Youth Advocate
Social Campaigner
Media Commentator
Author
Speakers Brief
Les Twentyman has been on the front-line of heartbreak and hope for over 40 years. As one of
Australia’s best known youth outreach workers and social campaigners, Les has developed his
expert opinion the hard way - on the street.
Raised in Braybrook in Melbourne’s West, Les has devoted his life to young people doing it tough,
predominantly in but not restricted to, Melbourne’s Western Suburbs.
Les is widely considered an expert on a range of community issues including youth homelessness,
drug abuse, prison reform and social welfare. He is the first stop for Victorian and national media
outlets for the word on “how it really is”. He has featured in hundreds of television, radio & print
press interviews and has been a regular newspaper columnist and article contributor. He also features
in a number of documentaries, most notably ”The Ohio Gun Buyback Scheme”, “LA Gangs”, “Can
We Help”, “20 Minutes with Twentyman”, “Heroin Without the Hype” and "The Westside
Watchman".
Since returning full-time to his first passion, The 20th Man Fund (recently renamed "The Les
Twentyman Foundation"), he has shone a light on emerging youth issues like gang violence,
weapons carriage, cyber bullying and the growing trend of truancy in our education system. The
hard-hitting DVD “The Realities of Cyber Bullying” and Community Service Announcement -
“Knives Trash Lives” are testament to Les’ “pull no punches” approach to the damage caused to
youth through peer pressure and social media.
Les is often called on to visit volatile regional areas of Australia in a bid to bring about harmony and
cooperation where gangs and youth violence is a problem. He has also accompanied the Governor
General, state Government ministers and leaders of industry to the ‘mean-streets’ of Australia they
never thought existed.
In addition to his tireless work with disadvantaged youth and media commentary, Les is a well
credentialled public speaker. His speaking engagements include schools, community groups,
service clubs, corporates, Government Departments and business conferences. He has also been
engaged by AFL and NRL clubs to address young players on the pitfalls of “celebrity”. A testament
to his reach was Les being asked by the Dalai Lama to introduce his Holiness at his Melbourne
conference in June 2013.
Les is the founder of the The Les Twentyman Foundation, established 1984. The organisation is
dedicated to providing educational, sporting, leadership, emotional and crisis support services to
our homeless, disadvantaged and disconnected youth.

2. Awards
Order of Australia Medal - 1994
Victorian of the Year - 2006
Australian of the Year ‘Finalist’ - 2004
Australian Centenary Medal - 2003
Great Australian Achiever Award - 1998
Committee for Melbourne Award - 1995
Advance Australia Award - 1996
Paul Harris Sapphire Award - 1998
Tattersalls Award for Enterprise & Achievement - 2001
Tattersalls Centenary Award - 2004
Speaking Snapshot
LAPD Gang Squad, USA
Liverpool Police Department, UK
Strathclyde University, Scotland
Kolding University, Denmark
Members of Parliament, ACT
Victoria Police, VIC
The 500 Club, WA
The Escor Group, VIC
Newcastle Upon-Tyne Fires Service, UK
Visy Industries, VIC
Barwon Prison, VIC
National Lions Club Conference, WA
Victoria University, VIC
Carlton Football Club, VIC
NAB Conference, VIC
Indigenous Community Forum, VIC
Australian Teenage Expo, VIC
Responsible Gambling Forum, VIC
ABC Youth Forum, VIC
Bendigo Bank, VIC
Mens Shed, VIC
Melbourne Storm Football Club, VIC
International Nursing Conference, VIC
Koori Youth Day, VIC
SW Melbourne Youth Mental Health Conference, VIC
Western Football League, VIC
Vicsport Industry Forum, VIC
Victorian Education Department
Deputy Principals Network
Melbourne University
Victoria University
Wesley College
Brighton Grammar School
Melbourne Grammar School
Leibler Yavneh College
Castlemaine Secondary College
Saint Bernards College
Kaniva College

3. Media
Al Jazeera - 101 East Program, INT
News Service - Channel 7, VIC/ NAT
News Service - Channel 9, VIC/ NAT
News Service - Channel 10, VIC/ NAT
News Service - ABC, VIC/ NAT
News Service - SBS VIC/ NAT
Today Show - Channel 9, NAT
Sunrise - Channel 7, NAT
Breakfast - Channel 10, NAT
The Midday Show - Channel 9, NAT
Lateline - ABC, NAT
60 Minutes - Channel 9, NAT
Channel 5 News Service - Cleveland Ohio, USA
LA Gangs Special - Channel 9, NAT
Can of Worms - Channel 10, NAT
The Exchange Chat Show - Foxtel, NAT
3AW, VIC
6PR, WA
2GB, NSW
5AAA, SA
Radio Australia, NAT
Herald Sun - Columnist, VIC
Leader Newspapers, Western Independant - Columnist, VIC
Mount Scopus Memorial College
Catholic Regional College
Swan Hill Secondary College
Echuca Secondary College
Woodleigh School
Ave Maria College
Mowbray College
The Knox School
Fitzroy High School
Surrey Hills Primary School
Hoppers Crossing Secondary College
Harvester Technical College
Bacchus Marsh College
Footscray City Primary School
Wheelers Hill Secondary College
Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School
Ivanhoe Grammar School
For all enquiries regarding Les Twentyman
speaking engagements, please contact -
Angela Rumble
Administration Manager
The Les Twentyman Foundation
03 9689 4800
angela@LTFoundation.com.au