Serena Dalton

Founder, Grassroots Youth Engagement Palmerston

Serena Dalton is a respected Elder, community leader and youth mentor in Palmerston, Northern Territory. She was born in Darwin and has lived in Palmerston for 22 years. Her Father’s mother’s country is Dalabon (Beswick and Barunga) and her father’s Country is Gurindji.

In 2017, Serena founded the Grassroots Action Palmerston (GAP) community advocacy group, responding to the need she saw for a collaborative and constructive response to youth crime and the associated disadvantage and division in Palmerston community. Grassroots Action Palmerston has now evolved into Grassroots Youth Engagement, which aims to support and create opportunities for the young people who need it most.

Serena works with the young people facing the toughest circumstances and who are too often excluded or disengaged from mainstream supports and opportunities. She is a tireless mentor, advocate and ultimately lifeline for these young people, working to make sure their voices are heard: by politicians, bureaucrats and the local community.

Serena has initiated and is a key driver and collaborator on many projects, networks, boards and committees in Palmerston that aim to improve the wellbeing of all people, young and old, in the Palmerston community. 

On top of all this, Serena is a proud mum to 10 children of her own.

In 2020, she was awarded the FitzGerald Award for Justice in the Northern Territory Human Rights Awards.

Hear from Serena in Session 2: Header from Elders here.