About Zig Zag

Zig Zag acknowledges the critical transformative work, led by the powerful activism of marginalised communities, in developing and shaping intersectional feminism. Intersectional feminism recognizes the multiple forms of oppression that create disadvantage and injustice and that limit people’s power. We believe that justice can only be achieved by addressing the overlapping and compounding barriers faced by marginalised people. Our work is grounded in a structural analysis of power and privilege, and we actively work to dismantle systems of oppression and to stand in solidarity with marginalised young people.

Young people are at the centre of all aspects of our work. We work from a relationship-based approach where we value young people as experts in their own lives and advocate for their voices to be heard and valued within society. We meet young people where they are at, with care, without judgement, and with a commitment to empower and support them in flexible and responsive ways. Our focus on young people guides our actions and our decision-making at every level, ensuring we offer an alternative way of practicing that is grounded in the needs of the most marginalised young people.

Justice doing is at the heart of Zig Zag’s practice. Guided by principles of anti-oppressive and decolonising practice, we actively challenge systems of power that marginalise, silence, or erase. Justice doing is not neutral; it is political, collective, and rooted in resistance. We walk alongside young people and communities as co-creators of justice, building a world where everyone is safe, heard, and free. Zig Zag is committed to using transformative and restorative justice practices that uphold the human rights of all young people.

Zig Zag honours the strength, wisdom, and ongoing resistance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the face of colonisation, structural violence, and genocide. We recognise that sovereignty has never been ceded and commit to prioritising work alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people and communities.

We are dedicated to decolonising our practice by centering the voices, knowledges, and leadership of First Nations peoples. We acknowledge that decolonisation is an ongoing personal and collective process — one that requires deep listening, critical reflection, and action to challenge and unlearn racist social conditioning.

Zig Zag collaborates with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations responding to violence and homelessness, recognising that First Nations communities hold the cultural authority and expertise to best understand and respond to their own needs. With open hearts and minds we are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, doing and being to inform and guide our work with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, trans, and gender diverse people who have experienced violence and housing injustice, guided by cultural humility and a commitment to creating culturally safe, healing environments.

We stand in solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the ongoing fight for justice, self-determination, and human rights — through active allyship, advocacy, and social change.

At Zig Zag, we recognise that culture and identity are central to who we are, how we connect with others and the world around us. Honouring culture and identity means celebrating the strength, wisdom, and diversity that individuals and communities bring, while also acknowledging the impacts of colonisation, racism, sexism, transphobia, ableism, and other forms of oppression.

Zig Zag proudly supports young women, trans, and gender diverse people from all cultural backgrounds and abilities. We are committed to creating spaces that are inclusive, accessible, and welcoming to all young people who engage with our services. We acknowledge that trans and gender diverse people have historically been excluded from women’s services, including Zig Zag. We take responsibility for this harm and are committed to ongoing learning, accountability, and reparation to rebuild trust and strengthen connection with trans and gender diverse communities.

Zig Zag affirms cultures and identities that shape the lived experience of young people. We stand in solidarity with marginalised young people and advocate for their right to safety and self-determination. We are committed to challenging power imbalances and cultivating safe spaces based on relationships that are grounded in respect, dignity, and belonging.

At Zig Zag, critical reflective practice means thinking about what we do, how we do it, and why we do it. We engage in continuous critical reflection as a tool to anchor our practice and actions back to our values and collective ethics, therefore promoting consistency and integrity in our work. All workers take individual, organisational and collective responsibility for engaging in critically reflective processes. We are deeply committed to ongoing learning and development through curious inquiry and examination of personal prejudice, privilege, and power to ensure accountability, development, and growth.

Zig Zag recognizes that relationships built upon respect and dignity are central to our work with young people, communities, and each other. We draw upon our shared ethical framework and work toward solidarity and accountability, acknowledging the growth that comes from sitting in discomfort. To support our shared vision, we are committed to collaborative practices that create space for the moral courage to collectively build safety and speak truth to power. In doing this, we recognize the importance of our collective responsibility in supporting and caring for each other to sustain ourselves in our justice work together.