While the skateboarding social enterprise founder is no stranger to public recognition, he said being named a finalist for The YMCA’s Victorian Father of the Year award was particularly meaning.
“I got nominated by one of the mums from (Gnarly Neighbours), which is really cool,” Jayden said.
“My whole life is being a dad and that’s what I want to be the best at.
“Being a dad is my greatest achievement in life ... To even be a finalist is amazing."
This recognition like a “full circle moment” for Jayden, whose journey was significantly inspired by the non-profit behind the award.
“When I came out of my dark path, I volunteered for the YMCA and got some training here for the Mitchell Shire because I wanted to start skate lessons,” he said.
“From there, I ended up getting a job managing a skate park with YMCA.
“That’s where I’ve built a lot of the tools to start Gnarly.”
Earlier this year, Jayden embarked on the two-month trip of a lifetime after being selected as a 2026 Westpac Social Change Fellow.
Through the fellowship, Jayden travelled to the US, the UK and Europe, attending Stanford University in California for a non-profit leadership course and learning from global changemakers who have a similar model to Gnarly Neighbours.
While the fellowship was an amazing experience, he said a highlight was bringing along his son, Brooklyn, for the last two weeks of the trip.
“When I was overseas with my son, I got to show him a part of the world that I hadn’t even seen before because I had him so young and never got to travel,” Jayden said.
“I saw myself in him as a 13-year-old, knowing my life was starting to get very turbulent at that time.
“Being able to see him be a kid and experience the world at the same time is just the highlight of my life.”
For him, fatherhood is about opening up as many doors as possible for his son.
“What I’m doing here at Gnarly is to show him that he can achieve whatever he wants, he gets to cast his own shadow,” Jayden said.
“To be able to let him have the choice of what he wants to do, that’s my greatest achievement.”
Announcing the Victorian Father of the Year finalists on Saturday, September 5 on Facebook, The YMCA noted Jayden’s commitment to creating belonging, resilience and opportunity for young people through skateboarding, mentoring and wellbeing programs.
Jayden said the award recognition was also, in part, owed to his son’s mother, who, he said, “helped carve the man and the father I am today”.
Founder and chair of Kyneton’s Social Foundry Simon Burnett was named as winner of the 2026 Victorian Father of the Year Award.
For more information about the award, visit victoria.ymca.org.au/victorian-father-of-the-year/winners/2026-winner-simon-burnett
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