About The Canopy
Established in 1988 as ‘Westlake's Family Support Services’.
The Canopy is a vibrant community organisation that empowers children, families, and neighbourhoods to thrive. We create welcoming spaces, deliver family and parenting programs, and bring people together through activities that build connection and belonging. Guided by our values of inclusion and care, we believe strong communities can achieve anything and that every family deserves the chance to flourish.
Vision
Mission
Values
Conduct ourselves with intergrity, Act with compassion, Ensure empathy, Maintain trust & Demonstrate respect
Principles of access, equity, participation and rights guide our service delivery, programs, activities and operations.
It is every child’s right to be safe and protected from all forms of abuse, neglect, violence or exploitation. It is The Canopy’s policy that children and young people have a fundamental right to be safe from harm and to grow up free of violence and exploitation. The Canopy is committed to work practices and outcomes that minimise risk and which provide our workers with the ability to respond appropriately to incidents where children are at risk of harm.
We’re fully committed to the UN Convention on the rights of the child declaration; Article 13, declaring that: The child shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media.
We strive to actively engage and listen to recipients of our services and users of our community and neighbourhood centres. This enables us to better understand how to best respond to expressed individual needs and aspirations.
Engaging the community in conversations is central to ensuring our services, usage of our community facilities / neighbourhood centres and local event planning reflects local needs and aspirations.
The Canopy demonstrates its ability to consistently provide services which meet or exceed applicable statutory and regulatory requirements through the effective adherence to our practice quality governance framework and continuous improvement processes.
We use the common practice elements approach of a range of discrete evidence informed practices including trauma informed care to work with individuals, families and children to jointly agree on ways to facilitate positive change.
The Canopy Board of Management
Sandra Feltham (Chair)
Sandra has spent more than 40 years building stronger, healthier communities through her work in health and local government. She is a lifelong learner with qualifications in nursing, midwifery, urban planning, human geography, and public health. Sandra believes in the power of people and communities to create change and is guided by values of social justice, human rights, and collective impact. She brings both wisdom and compassion to her role on the Board.
David Price
David is the Director of ICT Services at St Philips College and brings strong skills in strategy, governance, business development, and technology. He is passionate about using innovation and smart systems to support people and organisations to succeed. David’s steady leadership and future-focused approach help ensure The Canopy remains strong, sustainable, and connected to community needs.
Scott Luschwitz
Scott is a proud Aboriginal man and respected leader in education and community across the Hunter region. He is President of the Hunter Regional AECG, a State Delegate to NSW AECG Inc, and serves on the Board of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education and Research at the University of Newcastle. In his role as a Field Officer, Scott works with schools and communities to strengthen opportunities for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children and families. He is passionate about equity, culture, and ensuring every child has the chance to be heard and to thrive.
Janet Lee
Janet is an experienced leader who is committed to creating workplaces and communities where people can thrive. She is currently Organisational Development Manager at Maitland City Council and has held senior leadership roles across the banking and community sectors. Janet brings expertise in human resources, strategic planning, and safety, along with a strong belief in the importance of fairness, opportunity, and support for all families.
Kathryn Martin
Kathryn has dedicated over 20 years to supporting families and strengthening the community services sector. With qualifications in psychology, training, and relationship education, she leads with both knowledge and heart. Kathryn is passionate about empowering vulnerable families, building services that truly respond to people’s needs, and shaping positive change through strong advocacy and leadership.
The Canopy Leadership Team
Beau Newell (he/they)
Chief Executive Officer
Jane Mitchell (she/her)
Family Services Manager
Brett Conroy (he/him)
Acting Finance and Administration Manager
Partners and supporters
The impact and reach of our work is made possible through the support and generosity of our valued partners, agencies, businesses, groups, and individuals who share our vision and mission. Their contribution strengthens our ability to deliver meaningful services and create lasting change in the community.
The Canopy's locations
Family Time
Family Plus
Multipurpose Community Centres and Halls (for hire)
Head office opening hours
- Monday 9AM - 4:30PM
- Tuesday 9AM - 4:30PM
- Wednesday 9AM - 4:30PM
- Thursday 9AM - 4:30PM
- Friday 9AM - 4:30PM
- Saturday Closed
- Sunday Closed
Phone us on 02 4908 1140 for opening hours of our Neighbourhood Centres, Community Facilities and Family and Children’s Services