Brighton Council is delighted to welcome Curtis Knox as its new Community Creators Coordinator. Curtis brings a genuine passion for helping young people have a real voice in shaping the places they live, along with a strong commitment to building positive, connected communities.

Earlier in his career, Curtis worked as an engineer with BAE Systems, Inc. in North America as a civilian defence contractor supporting the U.S. Navy. Over the past two decades, however, his focus has been firmly rooted in the youth and community sector.

He brings extensive experience across youth justice, early intervention, out-of-home care, and the employment sector, with a strong emphasis on supporting early school leavers. His career journey has also included a brief stint working in Queensland along the way.

In his new role, Curtis works closely with schools to empower students to take an active role in their community and ensure their voices are heard. Having previously worked in and around the Brighton area, Curtis says it has been especially rewarding to return and reconnect with familiar faces who continue to make a difference locally.

Looking ahead in the year, Curtis is focused on strengthening the Community Creators program through more interactive and engaging learning experiences for younger students, while applying an asset-based community development approach that builds on Brighton’s existing strengths.

A key priority is supporting a more positive conversation around youth wellbeing and safety, work that is already helping drive the development of a youth-led road safety committee. Alongside this, Curtis hopes to highlight the many positive things happening in Brighton and challenge the stigma that too often affects local young people.