Nich Rogers

Nich has 25 years’ experience working in executive and management roles across the health and community services sectors, and has a well-developed reputation as a researcher, evaluator and service development consultant. Nich has volunteered as a board member for Darebin Community Legal Centre, VICSERV (Victoria’s psychiatric disability peak body), and at Morrison House (an alternative education provider).

Nich has specialist expertise in adolescent health and wellbeing, as well as in service responses to homelessness, mental health and substance use. Prior to working as a consultant, Nich undertook research, evaluation and service development roles at YSAS (Youth Support and Advocacy Service). He also held senior management roles with Ladder (an AFL affiliated program building independence and leadership skills in young people at risk of homelessness), Neami (a national mental health service provider) and Anchor (a Homelessness and Child, Youth & Family service provider).

Nich leads high-profile projects for Lirata on behalf of government agencies and service providers. Nich's consulting work spans the fields of evaluation, review, research, strategic planning, organisational and sector development. He has led several major projects on behalf of the Queensland Mental Health Commission, and in 2020 led Lirata's work on developing the Barwon Blueprint to guide reform and development of the child, youth and family service system in the Barwon region.

Nich recently collaborated with the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) to review its Aboriginal Children’s Healing Team given significant growth in Out of Home Care placements at the agency and likely further growth. Nich has conducted a program evaluation of a health promotion intervention across 45 Early Childhood Services on behalf of the Department of Education and Training, and was part of a research collaboration on the effect of early home leaving on school participation and attendance.

Nich has high level experience in research and evaluation in collaboration with universities and other key partners. He has strong leadership, management and change facilitation experience, and is expert at stakeholder engagement and partnership development. Nich is also a professional and published writer and public presenter. He has a series of peer reviewed publications in the areas of mental health and substance use.