About us

About Us

Felix Cisneros Santiago (Felix) is the Founder and Director of TYP Communities and Social Work. Felix brings more than 20 years of experience across social work, community development, and leadership in both, Peru and Australia, holding a Bachelor of Social Work and Social Planning from Flinders University.

Throughout his career, Felix has worked across child protection, youth justice, disability, education, and community services — supporting children, young people, adults, and families with complex needs through trauma-informed practice. His experience spans leading multidisciplinary teams, providing clinical supervision, and designing intervention programs focused on wellbeing and culturally appropriate responses. Felix’s clear, collaborative communication style has helped him build partnerships that improve outcomes for individuals and communities alike.

Community development has been a defining thread throughout Felix’s career. He is passionate about working alongside communities, governments, universities, and non-government organisations to build strong partnerships and deliver sustainable initiatives with real social impact. His experience across both Australia and Peru has reinforced his belief that lasting change comes from collaboration, inclusion, and community empowerment.

Felix has also worked at universities across South Australia, facilitating tutorials in Child Development and Human Services Provision, presenting to criminology students, and mentoring students and organisations — combining evidence-based knowledge with practical experience to support the next generation of practitioners.

Felix continues to strengthen his expertise in prevention, population wellbeing, and systems thinking. Through TYP Communities and Social Work, he is committed to empowering individuals, strengthening communities, and supporting organisations to create positive, lasting change through compassionate leadership, innovation, and collaboration.

Our Story

TYP Communities and Social Work was founded on a simple belief: the strongest, most sustainable solutions are created when people, organisations, and communities work together.

After more than two decades working across Australia and Peru in social work, community development, leadership, and human services, Felix witnessed first-hand the impact that genuine partnerships and community-led approaches can achieve. Through years of dedication, he built trusted relationships with government agencies, non-government organisations, local councils, educational institutions, and community leaders, across both urban and rural communities — reinforcing the importance of listening, building trust, and designing services that reflect each community’s unique strengths and aspirations.

Over the years, Felix was regularly approached by service providers seeking his expertise. This trust, together with the many successful partnerships he built, inspired the creation of TYP Communities and Social Work — a platform dedicated to supporting communities in the way they want to be supported, rather than assuming what is best for them.

TYP Communities and Social Work has grown through these valued relationships across Australia and Peru. Together with our partners, we are committed to sharing knowledge, embracing cross-cultural collaboration, and developing innovative, evidence-informed solutions that strengthen individuals, organisations, and communities.

Trauma-Informed Practice

We understand the profound impact that trauma can have on individuals, families, and communities. With extensive experience supporting children, young people, adults, and families experiencing multiple and complex unmet needs, we recognise the importance of responding in ways that promote safety, trust, empowerment, and healing.

Through consultation, training, and collaborative planning, we support organisations to create environments where both staff and the people they support can thrive and feel safe.