Les Twentyman

Who is Les Twentyman?

Leslie Jack "Les" Twentyman AO is a prominent youth outreach worker and community activist in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. Raised in Braybrook, he is one of Victoria's best known social campaigners, on issues ranging from homelessness, drug abuse, prison reform and social welfare.

His rise to prominence began in 1989. Radio 3XY sport journalist Doug Ackerly first suggested his social worker friend Les as someone who could provide comment for the station's news about a story on youth. Melbourne newspaper The Sunday Age heard Les on the station and later interviewed him for its own story followed by Melbourne's Channel 9. Despite the random nature of his initial media appearance, from there Les went on to be considered a youth issues 'expert' and the first point of call for Melbourne journalists for comment on a range of community issues.

Les became well known for his work at Open Family which helps street-children and runs a youth refuge house in Victoria that houses 200 young people a year. In 2009, Les left Open Family to work on his own 20thMan Fund which provides youth services in the western suburbs of Melbourne.