Your Voice Matters
A zine to close the gap between young people and the NSW Ombudsman
Children who leave Intensive Therapeutic Care are highly vulnerable to exploitation, homelessness and harm. In programs reviewed by the NSW Ombudsman, they had experienced an average of 7 previous placements, some as many as 26.1 But how do you hear directly from young people who may already be wary of authority?
An unconventional format for a difficult conversation
The Away from Placement Inquiry set out to understand why children and young people spend unapproved time away from placements and how this affects their safety and wellbeing. Hearing directly from them was central to building that understanding.
To reach young people, we developed a zine as a less formal way to communicate. It could be explored online or downloaded by a staff member and worked through during a meeting.
Drawing on craft culture, zines and lo-fi comics, we deliberately stepped away from the usual conventions of government communication. Ombudsman branding was kept to a minimum, allowing its purpose to come through clearly rather than risk being dismissed as just another piece of bureaucracy.
Outputs
- Illustration
- Visual narrative
- Publication design
- Form design
1 NSW Ombudsman, Inquiry into Intensive Therapeutic Care, 2025.
Meet Ombat, a friendlier face for Ombo
A key challenge was giving the NSW Ombudsman a presence without making the conversation feel overly authoritative.
Our answer was Ombat, a friendly, pet-like character designed as a comforting guide. He helps young people through potentially intimidating topics, highlights important information and brings reassurance and gentle humour to the experience.
There was some initial uncertainty about whether Ombat would resonate, so he was tested with a group that included young people with lived experience of therapeutic care. The response was strongly positive.
“Captivating and interesting. The artwork encourages me to keep turning the page. ”
“I want to keep looking for the Ombat. It is fun to find him.”
“I love him, he’s so small and cute.”
Creating a world where young people could see themselves
The illustrations reflected a broad mix of cultures, identities, body shapes and personal styles. Familiar settings and loose, hand-drawn artwork kept the zine approachable, while avoiding potentially triggering imagery.
Feedback from stakeholders helped us refine the characters and colour palette. Particular care was given to Aboriginal representation. The illustrations incorporate artwork by Jasmine Sarin, a proud Kamilaroi and Jerrinja woman.
Making complex information easier to read
The zine needed to work for different literacy levels, attention spans and ways of processing information, while asking young people about potentially sensitive experiences.
Content was broken into short, digestible sections, with clear headings, generous spacing and visual prompts to help readers navigate at their own pace. An accessible colour palette and scribbled details made serious information feel less daunting.
“I don’t need to make a big effort to read it.”
“Important information is emphasised in a fun way and spread out and easy to see.”
“The whole vibe of the page and colours are calming and doesn’t make the reader feel stressed.”
AI-assisted concept
AI-assisted concept
Making space for young people to respond
Success was never about large numbers. It was about whether young people felt able to take part.
Stakeholders confirmed that the accompanying forms were accessible and easy to complete. Ombat was so well received that the team has since discussed developing him into a plush toy. We helped visualise the idea, exploring how the character could extend beyond the page.
The result was a suite of materials that held young people’s attention, made difficult information easier to absorb and gave the Ombudsman a way to hear directly from them without institutional distance as the Inquiry continues.