3. PAGE V
Ministerial Foreword – Inspiring Stories
Every day, young people are making an
enormous contribution to life in Victoria.
The Victorian Government recognises that
young Victorians are vital to our state, both now
and into the future.
Our vision is for all young Victorians to
experience healthy, active and fulfilling lives,
and to have the opportunity to achieve their
potential, participate in the workforce and be
involved in their community.
Through the Victorian Government’s Youth
Statement Engage, Involve, Create, we are
delivering a range of programs that enable young
people to be engaged in education, training and
employment pathways; involved in decision
making in their local community and supported
to create enterprise and culture.
Over the past four years, the Victorian
Government has supported over 200,000
young people each year through many different
initiatives, such as Advance, Engage!, FReeZA
and Youth Central, and through our new
programs, including the Youth Enterprise
Strategy, Shape It!, the Exchange and Wakakirri.
Every year, we receive reports from our partner
organisations who are delivering these programs
and we hear about how many young people have
been assisted to develop new skills, contribute
to their community, build their confidence and
forge their future.
However, beyond the statistics and reports are
the personal stories of each young person who
has participated in one of our programs and the
impact this has had on their life.
In this book over sixty inspiring young Victorians
who have been involved in these government
supported or initiated programs share their
personal journeys with us.
From starting their own business, delivering
community projects, driving social change,
working on environmental sustainability, and
engaging with other young people, these young
Victorians are leading the way.
It is a privilege and honour to read the stories
that these young people have written and to
reflect on how our programs are making a real
difference to young people’s lives.
I would like to thank all of the talented young
story tellers for sharing their experiences and
aspirations for the future with us.
I would also like to thank families, friends and
our partner organisations for supporting the
involvement of young people in this project.
Only by continuing to support young people will
Victoria continue to prosper and lead.
The Hon Ryan Smith MP
Minister for Youth Affairs
4. CONTENTS
Inspiring stories from young Victorians
Ministerial Foreword iv
The Victorian Government’s Youth Statement –
Engage, Involve, Create 6
Ror Akot - Engage! 10
Pieta Bucello – Getting Down to Business 11
Audrey Flannery - Be Heard! 12
Te Manawanui Paraha - Wakakirri 14
Maddison Parker - The Victorian Young Achiever
Awards 2014 16
Matthew Calleja - The Victorian Young Achiever of the
Year 2014 18
Lillian Fry-McBean - 1st Castlemaine Guides 19
Sam Maloney - SYN Media / Be Heard! 22
Nicolette Forte - FReeZA 24
Lauren Dempsey - Engage! 26
Jamin Heppell - NEW GEN Crunch 28
Linda Kabasha - Catholic Regional College Sydenham
Venturer Scout Unit 30
Jack McDonald - The Reach Foundation 32
Rebecca Nielsen - Mt Waverley Kanyaka-Yakkana
Guides 34
James Plummer - Ogilvy Rover Scout Crew at 1st
Emerald Scout Group 36
Fostin Nshimirimana - Engage! 38
Maddie Pearce - The Reach Foundation 39
Annabelle Pendlebury - Engage! 42
5. Ryan Anderson Smith – Getting Down to Business 44
David Schout - AFL Youth Central Rookie Reporters 46
Alice Louis Csabi - Heathmont Talowa Guides 48
Bianca Gawith - Be Heard! / SYN Media 50
Ashley Pert - Cardinia FReeZA 52
Joely Mitchell - Engage! 54
Daniel Flynn - The Victorian Young Achiever of the
Year 2013 56
Cat Fagan - Getting Down to Business 58
Hayden Layton - NEW GEN Thrive 59
Philip Liberatore - Involve Committee 62
Rachel Furolo - Youth Central Roving Reporters 64
Jennifer Elcock - Wangaratta Monak Guides 66
Stephanie Limm - Change It Up 68
Aleisha Lannigan - Engage! 70
James Rogers - The Reach Foundation 72
Reni Maddaford - Wakakirri 74
Talin Hadlow - Engage! 76
Ben Rowles - AFL Youth Central Rookie Reporters 78
Madeline Walter - FReeZA 80
Andrew Stallion - Engage! 81
Nick - Engage! 82
Catherine Payne - Winner of the Minister for Youth
Affairs Sustainability Award 2014 84
Paul Bastin - AFL Youth Central Rookie Reporters 86
Tess Lawley - SYN Media 88
Sean Porter - Engage! 90
Bethany Knight - The Reach Foundation 92
Damien Mauch - Engage! 94
Velocity - Engage! 96
Jack Hicks - 1st Emerald Scout Group 97
Jonathan Brown - SYN Media / NEW GEN Thrive 100
Sam Heywood - Shape It! 102
Zac Slattery - Involve Committee / National Youth
Week 104
Marnie Banger - Youth Central Roving Reporters 106
Nathan Eva - Involve Committee 108
Michael Casha - SYN Media / Involve Committee 110
Miquaelia Haywood - Change It Up 112
Michael Hardinge - FReeZA 114
Brady Price - Engage! 116
Shelby Garlick - Shape It! / Youth Parliament 118
Anne Fedorowytsch - AFL Youth Central Rookie
Reporter 120
Duer Yoa - Centre for Multicultural Youth 122
Cici Zhang - Centre for Multicultural Youth 124
Sarah - Engage! 126
Cyber Cats Program - It’s There for Life 127
Southern Autistic School - Advance 129
Casterton Secondary College - Advance 130
6. PAGE 6
The Victorian Government’s vision for
young Victorians is that they all experience
healthy, active and fulfilling lives and have
the opportunity to achieve their full potential,
participate in the workforce and be involved in
their community.
Some of the key initiatives funded by the
Victorian Government include:
Advance
Advance is a secondary school program that
provides over $4 million per annum in funding
to over 420 schools across Victoria. The
program encourages students in years 7 to 12
to make a difference in their communities by
volunteering in a project or with an organisation
of their choice. Each year, over 20,000 students
volunteer with local community organisations
through the Advance program.
AFL Youth Central Rookie Reporter Program
Established in 2012, through an innovative
partnership between the AFL and the Victorian
Government, the AFL Youth Central Rookie
Reporter program offers budding sports
journalists placements with AFL Media. Under
the guidance of senior editorial staff, Rookie
Reporters are mentored and trained in all aspects
of media. In 2013, five young people were placed
at AFL Media and a further two young people
were placed in 2014.
The Victorian Government’s Youth Statement –
Engage, Involve, Create
Be Heard! and SYN Media
The Community Radio Initiative, which
incorporates Be Heard! and SYN Media receives
$100,000 funding per annum. Be Heard! has
provided grants to community radio stations
in rural and regional areas to provide training,
work experience and other career development
opportunities for young people interested in
a career in radio. SYN Media - a youth-run
organisation that operates the SYN FM radio
station also supports young people to develop
broadcast media skills.
Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY)
CMY is the lead organisation in Victoria for
multicultural and refugee young people. CMY
provides advice to government and delivers
projects that support young people in community
participation, decision-making and leadership.
It works in partnership with local organisations
including schools, universities, learning and
employment networks, local government and
youth services. Regional CMY offices located in
Ballarat and Morwell were established in 2012
and are funded by the Victorian Government.
Engage!
Engage! supports local government, community
organisations and other service providers to
develop programs that enable young people to
participate in and benefit from civic, economic
7. PAGE 7
and social activities in their community. Each
year, over 35,000 young people participate in
Engage! projects and activities. Between 2012 and
2014, 102 providers received funding through
this $12.3 million program.
FReeZA
Supported by $2.4 million funding per annum,
FReeZA gives young people the chance to
organise and attend supervised music events
that are drug, alcohol and smoke free. Funding
is provided to local government and community
organisations to support local FReeZA
committees and events which are run by young
people for young people. Each year, over 130,000
young people attend events organised by FReeZA
committees. The FReeZA program also supports
the FReeZA mentoring program and the Push
Start Battle of the Bands competition, which
culminates with a grand final at the annual Push
Over Festival.
Get Published
Get Published (formally Youth Central Roving
Reporter program) offers young people aged
between 16 and 25 the opportunity to write for
Youth Central. The Get Published program has
seen the publication of over 125 articles on Youth
Central and 26 young people have been promoted
through the program from Guest Reporters to
Roving Reporters.
Involve Committee
The Involve Committee is the official Victorian
Government Youth Ministerial Advisory
Committee. Nineteen young people from across
Victoria and from all walks of life participate in
the Involve Committee. The Involve Committee
consults with young people on different topics
and develops advice which is formally presented
to the Minister for Youth Affairs.
It’s There for Life
Supported by $400,000 of funding the It’s
There for Life grants educate and encourage
young people to be safe and responsible on line.
Eighteen organisations across Victoria received
funding for projects that support young people to
be responsible digital citizens and to understand
cyber-safety.
National Youth Week
Held in April each year, National Youth Week
is a celebration of the achievements of young
people. National Youth Week grants funded by
the Victorian and Australian Governments are
available for projects, events and activities that
are planned and organised by young people for
young people. Each year, over 20,000 young
people participate in National Youth Week
events across Victoria.
8. PAGE 8
The Minister for Youth Affairs also appoints
a National Youth Week Victorian Young
Member to represent the state and promote the
celebrations to young people.
Scouts and Guides
The Victorian Government has provided $5 million
to support Scouts Victoria and Girl Guides
Victoria. The funding has supported the upgrade
of over 96 Scout and Guide facilities across Victoria.
It has also contributed to volunteer training and
innovative programs to encourage young people
from multicultural communities to join and
experience the benefits of Scouts and Guides.
Shape It!
Shape It! aims to increase the participation of
young people in rural and regional Victoria in
community decision-making and to strengthen
their connection to the community where
they live. Backed by funding of $3.2 million the
strategy has supported:
Local Government Youth Inclusion grants to
encourage local governments to better engage
with and include young people in rural and
regional communities
Shape It! grants for youth-led projects that
make a positive difference in the community
Change It Up, a partnership with the
Foundation for Young Australians, which
delivers workshops and an annual state-wide
forum for young change makers in rural and
regional Victoria.
The Exchange website, which was launched
in March 2014, to support young Victorians in
Youth Advisory Groups to be more connected,
share information and resources, test ideas
and learn from each other. The Exchange is
also a place for the Victorian Government to
consult with young people across Victoria.
The Enterprise Strategy for Young Victorians
Backed by a $2 million investment, The
Victorian Government’s Enterprise Strategy for
Young Victorians encourages and supports
entrepreneurship and innovation amongst young
people in Victoria.
Getting Down to Business, delivered through
Enterprising Partnerships Pty Ltd, provides
tailored training, mentoring and specialised
support for young people who want to grow
their existing business, start one from scratch
or commercialise their new idea or innovation.
NEW GEN Crunch and NEW GEN Thrive,
delivered through Social Traders Ltd, provide
training and support for both new and
existing youth-led social enterprises who
want to deliver better social outcomes via an
enterprise model.
9. PAGE 9
The Reach Foundation
The Victorian Government has partnered with
the Reach Foundation and provided $617,000
funding to expand the delivery of the highly
successful Birdcage and Locker Room peer-to-
peer programs to a further 6,600 young people
across Victoria. The funding also supports the
development of a new smartphone app that will
provide easily accessible online resources to
enhance the wellbeing of young people.
The Victorian Young Achiever Awards
The Victorian Young Achiever Awards
acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding
achievements of young Victorians in a range of
categories ranging from science and technology,
arts and small business to volunteering. In
2014, the Victorian Government sponsored the
Small Business Achievement Award and the
Sustainability Award.
Wakakirri Secondary School Challenge
The Wakakirri Secondary School Challenge
invites students from across Victoria to create
a story that has real meaning for them and
to perform that story through dance, creative
movement and acting. Students get a chance
to flex their creative skills and discover career
pathways, in a professional and competitive
environment. Through the competition, over
1,000 students produce short stage productions
and compete for state and national titles. The
Victorian Government provided $200,000
sponsorship for the Wakakirri Secondary School
Challenge in both 2013 and 2014.
Youth Central
Youth Central is the Victorian Government’s
website for young people aged 12 to 25. It
provides a range of information and advice about
important topics like jobs, study, health, money,
transport, housing, rights, online safety and
government programs and initiatives. The site
received 2.13 million unique visitors in 2013–14,
an increase of 530,000 from the previous year.
Youth Parliament
The Victorian Government partners with the
YMCA Victoria to deliver the annual Victorian
Youth Parliament program. For one week in July,
up to 120 young people from across Victoria get
the opportunity to express their views and debate
Bills on issues that are important to them in at the
chambers at Parliament House. Youth Parliament
enables teams of young people to research topics,
prepare draft laws, debate them and present
them to the Minister for Youth Affairs.
For more information about the Victorian
Government’s programs for young people, visit
www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au.
11. PAGE 11
Pieta Bucello – Getting Down to Business
My name is Pieta Bucello and I am from
Gippsland. With a background in food retail,
catering and nutrition, I currently work as a
Health Promotion Officer on projects aimed
at improving food literacy in my community.
Outside work, my interests include cooking,
bushwalking, playing guitar and travel.
With a passion for fresh and sustainable food,
I have been exploring the idea of starting up
a food business that provides tasty, healthy
food that is convenient and affordable. Having
limited experience and skills to start a new
business myself, I saw Getting Down to Business
(GD2B) as the perfect opportunity to meet other
young people in a similar position, connect with
mentors and further develop my business ideas.
Throughout the program I have been able to
draw on the skills, knowledge and resources
provided through the GD2B mentors, guest
speakers and other participants. The ‘pitch’ days
have provided a great opportunity to meet up
with my group, hear from entrepreneurs about
their successes and challenges and update each
other on the progress of our start-ups. Getting
Down to Business has opened up a whole new
world of people, experiences and opportunities
that I would never have been exposed to.
To assist in making the most of the opportunities
provided by GD2B, I took three weeks annual
leave from my work in Gippsland, to attend Small
Business Festival Victoria events in Melbourne.
I also used this time to conduct market research,
develop my business plan, identify suppliers and
begin the process of developing my brand. I’ve
also been able to meet up with my group’s coach
and other participants to organise a joint market
stall to promote our new products.
Through GD2B, I was able to consolidate my
food business ideas and put them into a timeline
of what is achievable for me. I can see many
opportunities to learn through this business
venture and for it to grow and evolve over time.
With only a few months left of the program
I’m pleased with what I have achieved so far.
I’ve learnt a lot about what it takes to be an
entrepreneur and have gained knowledge, skills
and networks that can support my business into
the future. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know
the other participants, coaches and mentors and
hope to stay connected to them into the future.
Getting Down to Business
is funded by the Victorian Government
“I’ve learnt a lot about
what it takes to be an
entrepreneur and have
gained knowledge, skills and
networks that can support
my business into the future.”
12. PAGE 12
Audrey Flannery - Be Heard!
My name is Audrey Flannery. I’m 14 years old
and in Year 8 at Assumption College in Kilmore.
I enjoy dancing, reading, spending time on the
Murray River with my family, listening to and
researching music and, of course, spending time
at our local radio station OKR FM.
In the summer holidays of 2011/2012 Mum saw
an ad in the local paper, inviting young people
to learn about community broadcasting as part
of a program called ‘Be Heard!’. Mum suggested
I check it out and she probably did that because
I focus most of my time and energy on music; I
have since I was really little.
I emailed the station manager Lewy and started
training and learning everything I could. Lewy
showed me the ropes and taught me some of
the rules and regulations about community
broadcasting and, before I knew it, Mark and
Lewy asked if I’d like to present a regular show.
A huge part of the ‘Be Heard!’ program at OKR
FM was the Young Presenter’s Quest in 2012.
Even though I was already spending time at the
station, I was really keen to be involved. To enter
the Young Presenter’s Quest, I prepared a show
with the help of one of the station’s sponsors and
was lucky enough to be announced joint winner.
The experience definitely gave me the confidence
to continue to be involved at OKR FM.
I now present a weekly show every Thursday
called ‘The Freak Show’. Two and a half years
ago, I started there as a young person who didn’t
really fit in anywhere, due to years of being
bullied. My involvement at OKR FM has been
life-changing and now I feel like I belong. I’m
more confident and I’m focused on achieving my
dreams. I’ve learnt to be proud of who I am.
Recently, I presented my 100th Freak Show.
With the help of some of the amazing volunteers
at BlazeAid and the Kilmore CFA, we put
together an amazing show. This was definitely
one of the biggest highlights of my time at OKR
FM to date.
The learning never stops, covering things like:
getting on air, how to use technical equipment,
the regulations, code of conduct and legislation
for community broadcasting and, of course, the
practise of being a great presenter. I learned
about this from everyone up there. But the main
thing I learn from my OKR FM family is to be
comfortable with myself and to just go in there
and do whatever feels right. It’s a place where
nothing else matters – no school, no competition,
13. PAGE 13
no negativity, no judgement. It’s a place where
you’re actually welcomed and valued for your
interests and individuality.
I’d love a career in radio and being involved in
community broadcasting is a great way to learn
about what it takes on a professional level. As
well as being a hobby, being involved at OKR
FM is a step towards a career in journalism and
it can be my way of showing my future teachers
and employers that I’m dedicated and passionate
about the industry.
I definitely have to say that the most amazing part
of being involved in the ‘Be Heard!’ project through
OKR FM has been meeting extraordinary people
who inspire me. I’ve been blessed with being able
to hear so many inspirational stories first hand,
including those from our local area’s amazing
volunteers. These people are changing the world
with kindness, love and compassion on all levels
- from our awesome volunteer team at OKR
FM to the local CFA volunteers protecting our
community, to a national level where I’ve met
people who travel the country, helping to rebuild
lives after natural disasters.
I love the idea that maybe one day I can inspire
and help young people to feel better about
themselves and do what makes them happy.
Still, the biggest reward to me is being inspired
by others. I love ‘being heard’ and sharing my
passion for music, but the greatest gift has
been being able to hear others. The ‘Be Heard!’
program with OKR FM made that possible. I’m
grateful to everyone involved in giving me that
opportunity and believing in me. It has definitely
changed my life.
“I’m grateful to everyone involved in giving me that
opportunity and believing in me. It has definitely
changed my life.”
Be Heard! is funded by the Victorian Government
14. PAGE 14
Te Manawanui Paraha - Wakakirri
My name is Te Manawanui Paraha, I am 18 and
live in Wyndham Vale. I am currently studying
dance through a VET Cert 2 at Hoppers Crossing
Secondary College, under the direction of my
dance teacher, Mrs Bridgette Afuie. My teacher
and her husband, Junior, also support my passion
for dance through my participation in R&R
Dance Crew Varsity. Our crew recently won the
Victorian Step Off! Competition and will now
battle at the House of Champions in Brisbane.
I am also currently training for the national
competition called Battlegrounds where if, as a
crew, we perform well we will be given a world
ranking. I also enjoy passing my dance skills on to
my younger relatives who are unable to afford or
who do not have access to the same opportunities
as myself. In terms of my employment, I instruct
bounce techniques at Flip Out in Altona.
I became aware of the Hoppers Crossing
Secondary College’s involvement in Wakakirri
through my dance teacher. The importance
of participating in this was reiterated through
the excitement of the other students at school,
particularly my VET class and the Year Seven
students.
I participated in Wakakirri because I thought it was
a good opportunity to gain experience in a wide
variety of performing arts roles. Primarily I wanted
to learn how to instruct or teach choreography to
students at a variety of ages and skill levels. The
large scale of the production was something new
to me and I wanted to push myself; this was only
possible through peer collaboration with other
VET students and seniors.
I was the main choreographer and assisted my
peers with the creation of the storyline through
collaborative brainstorming. During Wakakirri it
was also important that planning, development
and production would be mentored by my
teachers. This allowed me to gain insight into
industry standard performing arts concepts.
I was quite shocked to achieve the award of Best
Supporting Male and win the Jason Coleman
Scholarship at Ministry of Dance. I was very
proud of the whole production and the fact that
all the hard work was reflected in the awards
our school achieved. These awards included Best
Blockbuster, as well as Best Choreography and
Best Entertainment.
15. PAGE 15
“The most powerful experience I had was watching what I
had worked so hard to create with my peers from Hoppers
Crossing Secondary College come to life... ”
The whole ‘Feel the Beat’ production and the
awards we received as a school promoted the
importance of dance and the arts at Hoppers
Crossing Secondary College. School recognition
is really important because, for students from
a tough background, including refugees, it
gives them a positive extracurricular activity to
participate in such as dance, backstage and
set design.
The main challenges I faced during Wakakirri
were related to time management and working
within a strict budget. In a way these worked
together, forcing us to work hard to ensure our
production was the best we could provide. Our
school doesn’t ask us for an admission or costume
fee which allows all students the opportunity to
perform and participate in Wakakirri.
I have learned the importance of working
with younger students. This really built up my
patience and people skills. I also realised from this
production that I want to be a choreographer or
teach professionally.
I believe I have matured both as a dancer and a
person through Wakakirri. I think I always knew
I was a good dancer but it was great to confirm
this through the competition recognition, from my
peers, school and other members of the public.
The most powerful experience I had was
watching what I had worked so hard to create
with my peers from Hoppers Crossing Secondary
College come to life - the recorded Wakakirri
‘Feel the Beat’ production.
I believe that in Australia I have had many more
opportunities available to me than I would have
had in New Zealand.
Wakakirri is funded by the Victorian Government
16. PAGE 16
Maddison Parker - The Victorian Young Achiever Awards 2014
I always knew something was different about me.
I saw so many doctors before I was diagnosed
with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome at the age of 6.
Now, 5 years later I am still learning how to live
with it and manage how hard my life is!
Thinking back, my earliest memories are seeing
many doctors and having test after test. There
were needles and MRI’s, different sorts of scans
and the pain of having to lie still for them all.
My worst memory is when I was 5, a doctor told
me the pain I felt was in my head. My whole
body hurt, it couldn’t possibly be in my head. A
year later mum found a doctor at the children’s
hospital who believed me. He was a geneticist
who knew straight away I had Ehlers Danlos
Syndrome. I couldn’t believe that we had finally
found out why I was in so much pain and for
that I am really grateful. I remember him telling
mum there was no cure or treatment and
wishing her luck!
Having EDS means that I have faulty collagen.
So the glue that holds the body together isn’t
very strong. It makes my joints very loose and
I dislocate easily. I get tired really quickly, my
muscles aren’t very strong and can’t always
do the work my ligaments should. It has also
meant that I suffer from POTS. This means that
the blood doesn’t always make it to my brain
properly so my heart races, I get dizzy and I
can’t speak properly. It affects my digestion so I
get tummy pains, scoliosis and I have Reynaud’s
which makes my fingers and toes really cold and
really sore.
Learning to live with EDS is a daily struggle.
Every day is different. Some days I wake up with
dislocations and high pain and other days I don’t.
Some days I can walk and run and other days I
have to use a wheelchair. I have to think about
every little thing I do and decide what is most
important. If I run around with my friends today
it could mean I can’t get up tomorrow. If I choose
to make toast for breakfast it could mean I can’t
write at school that day. I can’t do things just
because it sounds fun like my friends, I have to
always think of the consequences.
I am lucky though because I have met people
along the way who’ve helped me realise that I
don’t have to sit on the side lines and stop being
me! When I was 7, I met a teacher who told me
that being different means I am unique and she
showed me that being different is what makes
me, me. The following year I met another teacher
17. PAGE 17
“Sitting down to speak to the Prime Minister has
been a goal of mine since beginning my campaign.
Now it is actually going to happen.”
who encouraged me to focus on my strengths,
like academics. This has helped me understand
that my life is not just EDS. She taught me to
write from the heart and follow my dreams. She
told me anything was possible.
I learnt a lot about me in those 2 years! I know I
will always have EDS and that I will always have
pain and struggles, but I also know that I am
Maddison. Being Maddison, means that I can be
and do anything I put my mind to. This is where
my EDS Awareness Campaign began.
I was 9 when I first realised that EDS had an
awareness month. I got involved by writing to
the papers and current affairs shows but no one
replied. I was really frustrated. At the same time
my little sister, who also has EDS, was getting
more and more tired and sore. I didn’t and don’t
want her to feel the pain that I feel so I had to
change it. I had to make people aware of EDS so
her life would hopefully be better.
It started with a letter to the world that I wrote
and mum emailed to people in her contacts list. I
asked people to keep emailing it. I received 100s
of replies from strangers all over the world telling
me they spent 5 minutes and looked up EDS!
This was exciting! I made a YouTube video and
mum set up a Facebook page for me. I try and
update the page as often as possible giving people
a little look into my life. Amazingly, I have over
2500 people following me.
Last year I spent all of May fundraising for
the ConnecTeD foundation and handing out
information sheets on EDS. It was very successful
and at the end of May I had raised over $13,000
for EDS research. Kayla and I were named by The
ConnecTeD Foundation their youth ambassadors
in June, which was a huge honour.
This year, I focused on raising awareness with
doctors, specialists, allied health people, and
students. In all the hospitals I have been to there
is no place we really fit. My next goal is to have
a department specialising in EDS. Having a rare
disability doesn’t mean we don’t matter.
I have won several awards since starting my
campaign including the Pride of Australia Child
Courage Award, Youth Citizen of the Year for
Melton Council, and most recently the Victorian
Young Achiever Award for Community Service
and Volunteering. This last award has had the
biggest impact on my campaign by opening doors
that I never thought possible! I met and spoke
with the Minister for Youth Affairs, Ryan Smith
who not only supported my ideas but wrote to
the Prime Minister on my behalf! As a result a
meeting is being scheduled. Sitting down to speak
to the Prime Minister has been a goal of mine
since beginning my campaign. Now it is actually
going to happen.
I know I am only 11 and that I have a disability
but that doesn’t mean I don’t matter. I am going
to change the way the world thinks about EDS. I
am going to change the way it’s treated for every
sufferer of EDS. Having a disability doesn’t define
who you are. Life is about making the most of
what you have been given and that is what I
want to do!
The Victorians Young Achiever Awards
are supported by the Victorian Government
18. PAGE 18
Matthew Calleja - The Victorian Young Achiever of the Year 2014
Now in its seventh year, MRC Performance is
an established car performance parts specialist
and, as a 24-year-old, I have been recognised for
my work in winning the Victorian Government
Small Business Award and the overall Victorian
Young Achiever of the Year Award.
My wife nominated me for the awards without
me knowing. I was oblivious until the start of
this year when the shortlists were announced.
I couldn’t believe I’d won the Victorian
Government Small Business Award, so when
my name was announced as the winner of the
overall Victorian Young Achiever of the Year, it
was a dream come true.
I was shocked just to be recognised for small
business in itself and then getting the Young
Achiever Award overall was incredibly crazy.
Although I didn’t always have a desire to own my
own business, my passion for cars is long held
and I recognised that there was a great market
for car modifications and performance parts. I
could see that this gap in the market was a great
opportunity and so I decided to start my own
business. While facing a host of difficulties in
building the business up, hard work has now paid
off, establishing a well-formed team of six with a
strong customer base.
One aspect that sets my business apart from
others is its focus on giving back to the
community. Growing up in an area surrounded
by bush land in Greater Melbourne, I witnessed
bushfires every few years and recognised how
community members were put on edge as a
result. When I moved to Lilydale I vowed to get
involved in fundraising for the CFA to assist in
providing necessary support to an worthy cause.
I wanted to make a point of trying to not just be
in Lilydale and suck as much out of it as possible
but to also give back and contribute. It’s a big
thing to help the CFA out when they’re helping
us out.
MRC Performance holds an open day once a
year in which customers can come together to
display their cars and get information about
modifications and products, with those in
attendance making a donation to the CFA.
Monthly barbeques are also held and customers
can come along and make a donation as well.
My vision is to develop my business to have even
more of a manufacturing focus and bring back
manufacturing to Australia.
“I was shocked... To be
recognised for small
business in itself and then
getting the Young Achiever
Award overall was
incredibly crazy.”
The Victorians Young Achiever Awards
are supported by the Victorian Government
19. PAGE 19
Lillian Fry-McBean - 1st Castlemaine Guides
My name is Lillian Fry-McBean. I am a 20-year-
old student at Federation University Ballarat,
studying Primary Education, and I am a
passionate Girl Guide Leader. I have been a Girl
Guide Victoria member for almost a decade. My
twin sister joined and convinced me and my
whole family to join. Since then Guiding has
changed my life.
Girl Guides has helped me grow from a cautious
‘tween’ into the assertive young woman I am
today. Guiding is constantly compelling me to
meet new people, test my abilities, develop my
self confidence and help me to step outside the
restraints of my comfort zone. Girl Guiding in the
country town of Castlemaine taught me to trust
myself and has helped me make lifelong friends.
When I began Guiding I was a very shy Brownie
Guide but, as I grew up in Girl Guides, graduating
to ‘Castlemaine Golden Guide’ then proceeding
into the Rangers Guides, I slowly began to
understand the fundamentals of Guiding and
how the Girl Guide Promise and Laws affected
my life, opening my eyes to what I was capable of.
But Girl Guiding is not just about our individual
journeys, it is about how our actions and
commitments inspire others around us. On my
Girl Guiding journey, I have attended many
events and met many Girl Guide members who
have demonstrated the essence of Girl Guides
and have inspired me by showing me what is
possible. It is exceptional when my sisters in
Guiding go out of their way to show appreciation
and recognise others’ achievements, when
they spend countless hours of their own time
organising events and when they express their
determination and love of Girl Guides. These
passionate girls and women are living and
breathing the Girl Guiding spirit and this
inspires me.
Girl Guiding is a very important part of my life,
showing me how to give back to the community
and to Girl Guides. I am a unit leader of 20 six
to ten-year-old Brownies. Aspects of my job at
weekly meetings include planning, running a
program and having responsibility. My aim is to
not only create and run an enjoyable program
with my fellow leaders, but to attempt to inspire
the members like I have been inspired by others.
Recently, I have achieved my Outdoor Camping
Qualifications which made it possible for me
to run, plan, program and evaluate the district
‘Outer-Space’ outdoors camp with 40 girls in
attendance. This was challenging but a very
successful weekend.
20. PAGE 20
“Girl Guides has helped me grow from a cautious ‘tween’ into
the assertive young woman I am today. ”
In 2013 I attended a National Leadership
Seminar and week-long camp called ‘Leading
Edge’ with 15 other 16 to 20-year-old Girl Guides
from around Australia. This event was held at
a Girl Guide Victoria campsite called Britannia
Park and focused on many aspects of building
personal development, confidence and leadership
abilities. I met many women who inspire me at
this event, which helped me create my ‘Leading
Edge’ project called ‘The Learn, Laugh and Lend-
a-Hand’ (3 Ls) Program. The 3 Ls Program aims
to educate my district about poverty for Girl
Guides in developing countries and to participate
in a district hike to raise money for an African
Girl Guide Unit in Senegal. We have raised
approximately $1,000 and the units are now using
Pen Pal communication to create friendships and
understanding for both countries.
During my Guiding, I have constantly challenged
myself to achieve and it has taught me what I can
accomplish. As a girl, I achieved minor badges
and awards but one challenge that was especially
difficult and extremely gratifying for me was the
Girl Guide peak achievement award, the Queen’s
Guide Award. During the course of completing
this award I matured enormously, often when
I was forced to do things that I had never done
before. I felt like that shy Brownie who didn’t
want to do anything but, in actual fact, when I
was volunteering at the library or being assessed
for camping qualifications, I was a blossoming
butterfly of self-confidence. I was facing my fears
and it showed me that they were just boundaries
that my mind had created. This is why Guiding
has changed my life.
Girl Guides Victoria is funded by the Victorian Government
21. Wendy Lewis
Chief Executive Officer
Girl Guides Victoria
“Girl Guides Victoria provides opportunities
that enrich the lives of girls by developing
their confidence, resilience, initiative and
practical skill levels. The support from the
State Government has been vital in helping
us to improve on the opportunities we
provide for girls. Funds to upgrade a number
of Guiding facilities has created better
environments for girls to learn and play and
project funding is allowing us to strengthen
our programs to ensure they are inclusive and
welcoming for all girls in Victoria.”
22. PAGE 22
Sam Maloney - SYN Media / Be Heard!
My name is Sam Maloney, I’m 20 and from
Warrnambool. I am a SYN Young Media Leader. I
completed Year 12 in 2011 and had plans of doing
university online but, starting full time work at
the same time made me leave that idea; it was too
much and I needed a break.
Through every job I’ve had, one of the most
important things is to learn as much as you can,
even if you don’t think you need to know. You
need to have diverse knowledge to be successful.
In 2012, I decided to try a horticulture course
which introduced me to a fascinating world of
plants and gardens. As fascinating as it was,
however, it wasn’t for me.
Early last year, after still not knowing what I
wanted to do or where I wanted to go, I decided
to enrol in the Melbourne Radio School. This
involved driving three hours each way to a three-
hour class for 10 weeks. It developed my interest
in radio and I did a week of work experience at
a commercial station and loved it but there were
no jobs around at the time.
I had thought about getting involved with 3WAY-
FM to fulfil my radio interests. I had occasionally
hosted a show on 3WAY for my school back in
Year 9. Late last year, however, my mum showed
me an article in the local newspaper looking
for someone to volunteer with SYN Media and
3WAY-FM to form a media hub where they could
become the Young Media Leader.
SYN and 3WAY-FM first collaborated on the Be
Heard! project where trainers from SYN came
to 3WAY and facilitated training workshops.
Now SYN is permanently in Warrnambool. So
far the Young Media Leaders, including myself,
have had three workshops in Melbourne where
we have learnt so much, from marketing to
training volunteers, as well as meeting and being
mentored by some of the big names in the sector.
The Young Media Leader programme is what
pushed me into the world of community media.
It’s not something that I knew much about but
I was surprised by what I found. It’s a world
of passionate people making media to benefit
others. It can transform and mould itself to fill a
need or want within the audience.
In some ways, particularly with SYN, community
broadcasting is not about the content, it is about
learning what people can achieve and having
something to do. The essence of SYN is that
23. PAGE 23
young people should be creators of media, not
just consumers.
Through the project I have learnt how to deal
with multiple organisations and people. So now
my job is to involve and train young people to
create media for 3WAY-FM and SYN Nation as
well as the SYN website. This is the start of a
national youth community; this is the start of
something big.
“In some ways, particularly with SYN, community
broadcasting is not about the content, it is about learning
what people can achieve and having something to do.”
SYN Media and Be Heard!
are funded by the Victorian Government
24. PAGE 24
Nicolette Forte - FReeZA
My name is Nicolette Forte. I’ve been described
as an instinctual performer. My skills as an
entertainer initially led to me hosting numerous
open microphone sessions and collaborating
with many musicians, participating in scores of
live gigs and performances across the country.
I am a graduate of Swinburne University where
I achieved a Degree in Theatre Arts. I then
spent five years travelling to primary schools
throughout the country as part of a Theatre in
Education ensemble. This experience provided
me with the opportunity to further develop
practical knowledge and skills in puppetry,
set building and design, costume, props, lighting
and sound.
With a keen passion for theatre and
performance, I’ve managed to work with many
different theatre groups over the past eight
years and participated in multiple Fringe Festival
shows in both Adelaide and Melbourne. These
shows have involved cabaret, musical theatre,
vaudeville and comedy.
While some musicians sing from the heart, I say
I surrender my whole being. I believe this draws
the audience into each performance, making it a
much more personal experience. The title track
of my debut EP, “Rescue Me”, reached number
two on the Triple J Unearthed Roots charts in
2012 and received radio play on Triple J, Joy
FM, PBS and numerous community radio
stations nationwide.
I was selected by a panel of industry professionals
to take part in FReeZA’s ‘The Push’ Music
Mentoring Program. The mentoring program
was a fantastic experience and enabled me to get
ongoing support not only through my fabulous
mentor, Georgia Fields, but also from the wider
music community. The program opened many
doors to some great opportunities, including the
chance to play at the launch of National Youth
Week and showcase my single “Hold Your Hand”
at Parliament House.
Along with my band I have played to audiences
at The St. Kilda Festival, ChillOut Festival,
Moomba, The Toff in Town, The Evelyn, The
Prince of Wales, The Espy and The Caravan Club.
I have also been selected to support iconic artists
such as Mark Seymour, Tim Rogers, Jon Stevens
and Little Red. In 2013 I was privileged with a
myriad of artistic opportunities, most notably the
25. PAGE 25
grant I received from South West Arts to tour
regional NSW with my band and perform in the
‘Bush Concert Project’.
I also had the prestigious honour of being
flown to Penang to perform for Her Majesty
Sultanah Haminah Hamidun, the Honourable
Queen of Malaysia.
For the past three years, I have volunteered as a
mentor with the Brunswick-based community
theatre group for queer youth called ‘Y-Glam’.
2014 marks my fourth year working with the
City Of Voices, an inclusive community theatre
group for people with special needs, where I am
the Assistant Director.
The combination of my personal experiences and
the mentoring I received through the FReeZA
program has had a major impact on how I
approach my profession.
“The program opened many doors to some great
opportunities, including the chance to play at the
launch of National Youth Week and showcase my
single ‘Hold Your Hand’ at Parliament House.”
FReeZA is funded by the Victorian Government
26. PAGE 26
Lauren Dempsey - Engage!
I grew up on the Bellarine Peninsula, 30 minutes
from Geelong’s CBD. Throughout my high
school years, I developed a great interest in
helping the community. I became involved in
as many programs as possible including the ‘It’s
Your Move’ healthy lifestyle campaign, Rotary
Interact and the Social Justice committee.
The experiences I had with these programs
was fantastic, especially the ‘It’s Your Move’
campaign for which I was the Lead Ambassador.
My involvement in this campaign fostered
my passion to develop a career path in health
promotion. I studied a Bachelor of Exercise and
Sport Science majoring in Heath Promotion at the
University of Ballarat.
Following my studies I was keen to look for
work in the health promotion field. The sense
of community spirit I felt each time I visited
Stawell gave me motivation to search for work
in this town. I landed myself a job at Grampians
Community Health as a receptionist and
eventually worked my way into my current
role of Integrated Health Promotion Project
Worker at Grampians Pyrenees Primary Care
Partnership.
I was excited with my move to Stawell, a small
country town with a strong community presence.
I was keen to be involved in the community so
I actively sought out ways to do so. I joined a
local basketball competition and started playing
netball at a local football and netball club. I also
had heard through a friend about a Youth Action
Council that was starting up in the Shire. This
was something that sparked my interest and
so my boss encouraged me to apply. The YAC
was developed thanks to Victorian Government
funding through the 2012-2014 Engage! program.
I saw this as a great opportunity to connect with
the local community and meet people. I applied
for the position on the Northern Grampians
Shire Youth Action Council (YAC) and was
appointed as a member in April 2013. I am now
the current chairperson.
One of the first tasks for the YAC was to
brainstorm and develop key focus areas we
felt needed to be addressed in our community.
They included providing more youth-friendly
events, creating a youth hub, addressing the
drug and alcohol culture, and reducing the
stigma associated with mental illness. These will
be included in the Northern Grampians Shire
Council’s Youth Strategy that the YAC will create.
27. PAGE 27
“The YAC has been a great opportunity for me to be involved
in the local community, meet new people and learn more
about the new town I have moved to.”
The YAC has been a great opportunity for me to
be involved in the local community, meet new
people and learn more about the new town I have
moved to. It has provided me with some great
opportunities including being involved with the
launch of The Exchange website, meeting with
Heywire winners to discuss ideas for a mental
health grant the YAC received and attending the
Foundation for Young Australians Unleashed
Summit in Sydney. It has been great to feel a
sense of belonging to the community and be able
to help address our key focus areas.
To date the YAC has held a number of
community events including a music event
called ‘Little Night Out’, two Twilight Cinema
events and one Dive-in Cinema event. All of
these have generated a huge amount of positive
feedback and community support. At the
beginning of the year the YAC was nominated
for two Australia Day awards - Young Citizen
of the Year and Community Event of the Year.
We were privileged enough to be awarded
Young Citizen of the Year for 2014, which
was a phenomenal achievement. The YAC was
also successful in receiving a $10,000 grant
through the Foundation for Rural and Regional
Renewal (FRRR) and the ABC for a mental health
project to be delivered across all schools in the
Northern Grampians Shire. The project ‘Moving
Mountains’ looks at addressing the issues
associated with mental health and educating the
community through these school workshops and
subsidised Mental Health First Aid courses.
I am very excited about the future prospects
of the YAC and the significant and successful
contribution we have made in the community
so far. I am thankful for the funding we have
received in order to be able to get the YAC up
and running. Being a part of the YAC has been
an amazing experience and I hope to continue
making a positive change in our community.
Engage! is funded by the Victorian Government
28. PAGE 28
Jamin Heppell - NEW GEN Crunch
My name is Jamin Heppell and I am the Director
of Game Changers Australia and the Coordinator
of our flagship program Captains Camp.
I grew up in a little country town called
Leongatha in south-east Victoria. Growing up I
was always the kid out the front wanting to take
the lead. Whether it was school house-captain,
SRC representative, football captain, basketball
captain, or even school captain, the challenge of
leading my peers has always inspired me. Health
and fitness has also been a great passion of mine
as I practically grew up at my local football club
with my dad running laps of the oval.
As a teenager and even now, I have always had
a personal vision to change the world. When
I was 16 this vision began to crystallise, as I
became acutely aware of the culture of my local
sporting community. I realised I was immersed
in a culture of masculinity, chauvinism, racism,
homophobia, sexism, drug-abuse, drinking and
gambling. It was challenging for me. Much of my
identity was tied to being fit and healthy and a
part of my local sporting club. I loved the fun, the
fitness, the sense of belonging, the discipline, and
the competition that sport brought me, but this
culture was not conducive to becoming the man I
wanted to be. This culture did not align with my
values and a similar culture could be observed
in the school-yard, which I believe is a direct
result of the influence of local sporting clubs on
dominant peer-groups.
Fast-forward 2 years when I was the school
captain of Leongatha Secondary College, I was
invited to take-part in a leadership development
program run by YMCA Victoria. It was a week-
long residential camp with no connection to the
outside world. This week changed my life. It was
the first time I had truly explored the person I
was and the person I was becoming. It was also
the first time I had met a Muslim, someone who
was gay open and proud, and someone who had
depression and was comfortable to talk about it. I
came home inspired and determined. I wanted all
my mates to experience this. I wanted everyone
to experience this. At that moment I had a clear
sense of purpose.
From there, the concept of using sport to promote
culture change throughout regional communities
was developed. I realised that if we could
engage young influential men and women in
regional communities to take part in a program
designed to develop their leadership, resilience
29. PAGE 29
“I would encourage anyone with a big idea for creating
change to apply and really test their thinking, challenge their
ideas and change the world.”
and change-making capacity, this could create
wide-spread culture shift from the club to the
schoolyard and beyond. I wanted to harness the
power of sport to shift communities.
For 5 years I quietly developed the concept until
I finally had the clarity to share the vision. In
August 2012, Game Changers Australia formed
with a board of 4 people. We ran our first sports
leadership development program Captains Camp
in 2013.
In August 2014, I was accepted into the NEW
GEN Crunch program. This is a 6-month social
enterprise development program designed to
help participants create a robust business plan
to get a social enterprise up and running within
12 months.
I found the NEW GEN Crunch program
informative and confronting. It made us test
many assumptions that we were currently
operating upon and we were forced to answer
the tough questions and make some big decisions.
This ultimately prevented us from heading down
a road of instability and rough terrain.
I am incredibly grateful to have been a part of
the NEW GEN Crunch program. We are now in a
position where we are forming relationships with
local councils, local sporting clubs, community
banks, state sporting associations, and other
supportive networks to enable our programs
to scale and impact more young leaders and
ultimately create stronger more connected
communities in regional Victoria.
The NEW GEN Crunch was an inspiring and
eye-opening journey and I thank all those who
have contributed to the creation, development
and financial support of the program. I would
encourage anyone with a big idea for creating
change to apply and really test their thinking,
challenge their ideas and change the world.
NEW GEN Crunch is funded by the Victorian Government
30. PAGE 30
Linda Kabasha - Catholic Regional College Sydenham
Venturer Scout Unit
After a lot of moves throughout my childhood,
my family finally got together and moved to the
village with Mum’s entire family. Then Mum
decided to move again but this time far from
everything - Egypt.
At first, for a few weeks, we were living with
one of Dad’s uncles, then we moved to Mum’s
relatives’ place. So funny! Around twenty people
fitted in a two bedroom unit.
At last we got our own apartment, after a few
bumps on the road. I went to school but stopped
because of the situation we had to face on our
own. At times, for a whole week or more, we
would just sit there with no food whatsoever.
Mum would go around asking for donations.
We were lucky if we got rice.
At times she would remind me why we were
there, then she would continue to say, “I only
came here to give my kids a better place, where
they can feel free to do what they want without
any fear.”
Our last stop was with another of Mum’s
relatives. There were three bedrooms so each
family had their own room. Months went by.
Mum got a job. And then after twenty months
of battling, at last, we got accepted to paradise -
Australia.
I’m currently still in school, undertaking VCAL
subjects, plus childcare every Wednesday at the
Sydenham Child Care Centre. I don’t have a job
yet but I’m looking for one.
I was interested in becoming a lawyer. I never
understood why. Maybe it was because I wanted
to show one particular person that no one can
get away with breaking the law. I’m a big fan
of travelling and exploring all sorts of fantastic
places and, of course, giving back to the beautiful
community. I had all these ideas, for example,
building homes, schools, hospitals, and churches.
I’d sit in my room and imagine myself doing
those things, but really I didn’t know where or
how I was going to accomplish my dreams but I
had to, despite the problems I might face through
the process.
The first time I became aware of the Scouting
program was from Brendan Watson from
31. PAGE 31
“If you get an opportunity, take it with no regrets. Give it
your best and hope for the best.”
Scouts Victoria. He came in to chat to the VCAL
students about his extraordinary story. I didn’t
know what was going through their minds but
I personally thought it was inspiring how he
became an OAM and the goals he had set and
achieved. My favourite sentence, the part that
gave me goose bumps, was how he was a member
of this wonderful team that still helps others, plus
they get to travel. Then he said the name of the
team that he was involved in - Scouts. I had never
heard of it before, so I had to learn more. All that
was running through my sleepy mind was that I
had to join before anything else and so I did.
I’m so excited. I have since joined the East Timor
program and hopefully the Joey Scout and
Rovers will start soon. I hope to achieve a lot of
my goals especially with the East Timor program.
Why did I decide to join Scouts? Well, it’s simple:
if you get an opportunity, take it with no regrets.
Give it your best and hope for the best.
Scouts Victoria is funded by the Victorian Government
32. PAGE 32
Jack McDonald - The Reach Foundation
My name is Jack McDonald. I am 23 years old
and live in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.
I am just about to complete a Bachelor of Arts
degree at Melbourne University. My long-term
plan is to become a high school teacher involved
in pastoral care and student wellbeing. At the
moment, I am happy to be working part-time at
The Reach Foundation, playing footy for my local
club and planning to go backpacking overseas in
the next couple of years.
I currently live at home with my parents and
two younger brothers but a couple of years
ago, I was having a really hard time living at
home. I decided to move out when I was 19 and
I learned pretty quickly about what it means to
be self reliant. I found full-time work and then
had to make the difficult decision to drop out
of university so I could earn enough money to
support myself.
Over the past couple of years my father and I
have been working really hard to improve our
relationship. We have supported each other
through some tough times and had to be really
honest with how we feel about each other.
Coming to terms with how my father has shaped
me as a person has been a big part of my journey
towards accepting my identity as a young man.
He is an incredibly caring, sensitive, calm and
community-minded man and those are the
qualities that I seek to embody in how I live
my life.
When I heard that Reach had received funding
to run Locker Room, a program for young men
in high schools, I asked to be a Facilitator in the
program. From what I have learned through my
relationship with my father, I know how valuable
it is for young men to have a space to talk openly
about their feelings.
My role involves running activities and
facilitating discussions to help students
understand the male stereotype and its impact.
We provide a space to challenge the stereotype
and talk about ‘taboo’ topics, such as our
insecurities, family issues, and our sexuality as
men. Naturally, those topics are met with some
awkwardness and resistance from groups of
Year Nine boys but I’ve learned that, with time
and patience, the boys will break through their
initial discomfort as they start to understand the
benefits of not always living according to the
male stereotype.
33. PAGE 33
For me, the highlight of Locker Room is the final
activity. After the students come back from
their lunch break, we ask them to challenge the
male stereotype by doing a dance performance
to portray a male characteristic or personality
trait, without trying to get a laugh. In a recent
workshop a group comprised of many ‘alpha
males’ did a ballet dance to portray the soft
and sensitive sides of their personality. It was
incredibly powerful to see a group of the leaders
in the year level break down the male stereotype.
At the end of the workshop the boys spoke about
how they had been able to develop more trust
amongst themselves and they expressed a greater
awareness of the impacts of their behaviour. For
me, Locker Room has reinforced the importance
of positive male role models. I feel really lucky to
have my father as a positive role model.
“It was incredibly powerful to see a group of the leaders in
the year level break down the male stereotype.”
Reach’s Locker Room Program is
funded by the Victorian Government
34. PAGE 34
Rebecca Nielsen - Mt Waverley Kanyaka-Yakkana Guides
My name is Rebecca Nielsen, I’m 15 and live in
Oakleigh South. I participated in the Girl Guide
program which has provided me with so many
opportunities to discover new things, chase skills,
participate in adventures and excursions and
meet really amazing people. I got involved in
Guiding when I was seven years old.
During the past eight years of Guiding with
South Oakleigh I’ve had soooooooo many
opportunities. Guides changes as the people
change - leaders and participants - but that’s
what makes it so great. We have a fantastic new
kitchen so we can include cooking, dinners and
basic catering in our program.
In my time of being a Guide, I’ve been a member
of three different units. A highlight for me in
Guides is the outdoors because I love camping.
Another part which I am heavily involved with
and love is the service we do, which ranges from
Anzac Day to Clean Up Australia Day, door
knocking, and many other things within our local
community. Our program is full of a wide range
of activities, such as games, karaoke and penny
hikes. Anything we think of or we think we can
do at Guides (well almost), the leaders will help us
to achieve.
I am also a junior leader one night a week and
love it! Being a junior leader has provided me
with so much opportunity and allowed me to
become much more mature and confident. I
have attended many camps, state events and
regional events over my years, even a canoeing
day. I have also been lucky enough to attend two
international camps which were amazing. I’ve
achieved many badges, including my Junior BP
and BP award. I also received a district award
last year. I am currently working on my Queen’s
Guide Award.
From Guides I have learned to organise events,
speak to the public and work with children. I’ve
also learned lots of practical skills like cooking,
camping, first aid and being prepared - things I
use in all parts of my life. I have learned to follow
my instincts, weigh up my choices and make
decisions. I don’t always make the right ones but I
make them and cope with the fall out. The biggest
thing I have taken out of Guides is the people you
meet. If it wasn’t for some of them I wouldn’t be
who I am today. They bring out the best in me
and take away the worst. They have taught me
to just be myself because that’s who you are best
suited for.
35. PAGE 35
Most of my challenges arise from being a junior
leader. Going on camp with a large group of girls
between the ages of five to 10 is never easy.
There is a heap of work and not much sleep but
when I am on camp I think about the leaders who
did this for me when I was little. It’s my turn to
do it now. I also get faced with challenges when
I am put in situations I’m not used to and unsure
how to cope. Let’s say abseiling and I will NEVER
be friends. Dealing with some girls is harder than
others so you just have to try and work out what
is best for the girl and you in those situations.
With Guides I’ve learned I can be resilient and
will bounce back and, although I’m not the best
or the smartest or the greatest, I can do almost
anything I put my mind to. I’ve learned that
I enjoy being with people doing things, being
challenged and, yes, even failing at things we try.
I have learned that things aren’t always easy but
can always be better and that if you want to do
something you have to put your mind to it and
face the challenges. Ultimately, I know there is a
good side to everything.
As I say all the time, I would not be the person I
am today without Guides. It has made me a more
caring and considerate person. It has taught me
to be grateful for what you have and always lend
a helping hand to somebody in need. Guides is an
amazing program run for young girls becoming
young women. And has shaped me for the best
future I can have. Guides is GREAT!
“I’ve learned that I enjoy being with people doing things,
being challenged and, yes, even failing at things we try.”
Girl Guides Victoria is funded by the Victorian Government
36. PAGE 36
James Plummer - Ogilvy Rover Scout Crew at 1st
Emerald Scout Group
My name is James and I’m a 22-year-old Rover
Scout here at Emerald. My history with Scouts
goes back at least 12 years when I was a Cub at
1st Cranbourne. Their hall, although very nice,
was not quite as flash as the one in Emerald but
it did have reasonable access, except the toilets
were inaccessible and hence unusable for me in
my chair. Scouting provided me, particularly at
that time, with a sense of empowered adventure
that allowed me to get out and do things I never
thought I could do (mostly out of a sense of
nervousness). Some of my highlights of the time
were going to Cuboree 2002, knot tying and
learning more about campfires - other than the
fact that they are warm and smell AMAZING.
They say you don’t truly know what you can
achieve until you no longer have the help to
achieve it. My time at Scouting would take a
break while I was at high school and undergoing
some major surgery in hospital. Scouts was
something I always wanted to go back to but that
didn’t end up happening as soon as I wanted it
to. The Cranbourne Scouts had changed and my
investigation of other troops at the time left me
a little disillusioned. The local troops were small
and not set up to take on the extra work involved
in helping a person in a wheelchair; I pursued
other interests and forgot about Scouting.
Jumping forward a few years, after hearing from
friends and family about how awesome Scouts
was from a Rover perspective, I decided to give
it a go. I tried out a few of my local crews with
mixed results until one day, just as I was about to
give up, I decided I would ring my cousin who is
also a Rover here at Emerald. He assured me that
the crew here would be very “hospitable” and
interested in having me join them. So I decided
that I would at least try one night and see how
it went. From that first night I was hooked; the
people were kind, very welcoming and did not
appear to be too intimidated by me or some of the
changes that might have to be made in the crew
to accommodate me. They showed something
that, to me, represents the signs of being
excellent and Scouts.
Originally the hall was somewhat difficult to
access and I needed to use some ramps I carry
37. PAGE 37
“From that first night I was hooked; the people were
kind, very welcoming and did not appear to be too
intimidated by me... ”
with me in the car. The recent upgrade has really
helped my ability to integrate into Rovers and
Scouting. A ramp was built to access the side
door and the toilet facilities upgrade means there
is a toilet with room for me to get my wheelchair
into and use. I’m truly thankful to all those
involved, not only because it helps me personally
but helps promotes Scouting and the willingness
of the Scouting movement to assist people in
the community with special needs to join in
Scouting activities.
The Rover crew at Emerald has made me far
more than welcome and the management has
been incredibly helpful in making sure I have
access to the hall and the facilities. Thank you
very much to all concerned.
Scouts Victoria is funded by the Victorian Government
38. PAGE 38
Fostin Nshimirimana - Engage!
I was born in Burundi, one of eight brothers. I
was separated from my mother and brothers at
the age of four when my father took me when he
joined the rebels. I became a child soldier. Our job
was to protect and survive.
The Australian Government found me in 2006
and sent me to Australia to join my mother and
brothers who had migrated and settled in the
Brimbank region in 2004.
When I first heard about Good Shepherd’s
RAP3021 program I was very happy to hear
they had started a program like this in St Albans.
Before RAP3021, there were music programs
offered in Sunshine and Footscray, but none
in St Albans.
RAP3021 is a hip hop writing program run by
Good Shepherd and the Migrant Resource Centre
North West as part of the Engage! program.
The program began in early 2011 and has
worked with over 50 newly arrived or refugee
young people with a core of 10 young people
from a range of countries including Burundi,
Congo, Sudan and Ethiopia. Recently the group
released its first video clip which can be viewed
on YouTube.
I joined the program in 2011 and stayed involved
for around two years. As one of the first people
to join the group, I started to take the lead in
organising activities for us to be involved in. In
July 2012, we organised a hip hop performance
for the St Albans community in front of
approximately 100 people. We also performed at
the Victorian Arts Centre as part of the Emotion
project, and we were involved in numerous other
community events around Brimbank.
My life has changed so much since the days I was
a child soldier in Burundi. I was lucky enough to
be awarded one of Brimbank’s highest accolades,
Young Citizen of the Year. As someone who
other young people in Brimbank can look up
to, I feel blessed with all the opportunities Good
Shepherd and its partner, Migrant Resource
Centre North West, have given me.
I have a dream to be a successful musician and
tell my stories through songs. I now facilitate
the RAP3021 group on the days when the
professional hip hop artist is absent. I will be
launching my debut album ‘Wrong Adoption’ in
November this year.
“I have a dream to be
a successful musician
and tell my stories
through songs.”
Engage! is funded by the Victorian Government
39. PAGE 39
Maddie Pearce - The Reach Foundation
My first involvement with Reach was back in
May 2009, not long after the Black Saturday
Bushfires affected me. Unfortunately my family
lost our home. I was in VCE at the time and, until
that point, I’d had a pretty uneventful and happy
life. After the fires it was a pretty confusing
time for me. I attended multiple funerals, moved
towns and didn’t have a lot of familiarity in my
life. I felt numb for a long time. A family friend of
mine knew someone who was involved in Reach
and invited me to come along to a program called
Camp Maasai in Sydney. I hadn’t heard much
about Reach at the time but I trusted my friend
and decided to give it a try.
The camp was different to anything I had
experienced before. There were lots of new
people to meet but the Reach staff and crew
made it feel very safe and welcoming. There
were heaps of opportunities for everyone to
share their different experiences and challenge
him or herself and explore who they are. After
hearing from so many other young people with
such inspiring stories of overcoming adversity, it
really put my own experience into perspective.
It allowed me to have a lot more gratitude and
positivity about my situation.
Following the camp, my family and friends kept
telling me how they could see a difference in me.
I knew I felt more like myself than I had since
the fires had happened. I had a new perspective
on the situation. Despite losing my home, I still
had my family and close friends, and had lots
of support in my life. I decided that I wanted
to replicate my experience of camp to give
others the same feeling that I had received so I
successfully ran a day camp with the assistance
of Reach. After Camp Maasai some of the Reach
crew encouraged me to apply for the Reach IGA
Leadership camp and I was successful. Following
that I was invited to join the Reach Leadership
program and that’s where I became a part of the
Reach crew.
As a Reach crew member I was able to go along
to workshops and help give others the experience
that I was given. It involved welcoming other
young people into our programs, and assisting
the facilitators with the practicalities of running
a program. After three years of volunteering,
I successfully became a facilitator-in-training.
Now, in this role, I am able to run programs,
create my own content and develop workshops. I
also receive professional training throughout the
40. PAGE 40
“Through this program I am able to contribute to the
development and delivery of workshops that aim to
empower young women...”
year and I’m constantly developing myself as a
person and a facilitator.
One of the greatest opportunities I have received
at Reach is being involved in our gender-specific
Birdcage workshops. Through this program I
am able to contribute to the development and
delivery of workshops that aim to empower
young women, by looking at the influences
of the world that surrounds them. It’s a topic
that I feel really passionate about and one that
I have integrated into my studies at university.
I feel proud that the organisation I work for is
implementing this work into schools.
Additionally, because of the skills I have gained
through my involvement with Reach, I am now
a part of the development of a youth advisory
group in the Kinglake Ranges. The group aims to
give other young people opportunities to become
leaders in their community.
Reach’s Birdcage Program is funded
by the Victorian Government
41. PAGE 41
“In response to the serious issues and negative
impact of bullying, stress, gender-stereotypes
and negative self-image on the wellbeing of
young men and women, Reach has developed
targeted workshops for young women and
men to address their needs and improve their
wellbeing. Reach is delighted to partner with the
Victorian Government to deliver its Birdcage and
Locker Room workshops to over 6,000 Victorian
secondary school students.”
Sarah Davies
CEO The Reach Foundation
42. PAGE 42
Annabelle Pendlebury - Engage!
My name is Annabelle. I am 20 years old, live
in Eltham and have had a thing for words for
as long as I can remember. In the beginning,
it was a love-hate relationship. I clearly recall
being a frustrated five-year-old during creative
writing time in prep, refusing to use any word in
my stories I couldn’t spell correctly (back then,
most of them). Obviously my inner perfectionist
kicked in from an early age but, as the saying
goes, practise makes perfect. Soon enough,
words were my sharpest tool, my favourite form
of expression and an escape from mundane,
everyday life.
I’ve long believed that pouring words onto a
blank page is exciting, addictive and fulfilling;
it’s a passion that had my friend Joely and I in
its grips and our friendship became ever firmer
because of it. We dreamed of lives revolving
around writing (her heart set on journalism,
mine on being an author or an editor). We knew
there had to be others out there who felt this way
too, so we created a project called Truth4Youth,
where like-minded young people could join forces
with others to hone their creative skills and
discuss issues of importance to youth.
Joely and I met Naomi Simmonds, a Youth
Services worker, when we attended a journalism
workshop run by Banyule Youth Services. She
offered us positions as writers for the Banyule
100 team, another fantastic project that profiles
local individuals involved in improving the lives
of young people. We were thrilled to be involved
in such an amazing project and it was the trigger
that made us believe creating our own project
could be a reality.
One afternoon in 2009, Joely and I strolled home
together after school, delightedly giggling as we
discussed bringing our lofty plans for journalism
stardom into reality. We whiled away the time
mapping out exactly how our magazine would
look and what kind of topics we would feature.
Pretty soon however, we realised that there was
no point limiting ourselves to a certain array of
topics. Despite common misconceptions about
the lazy, disinterestedness of Gen Y and Gen Z
kids, we were keen to engage with a variety of
topics - politics, books, movies, travel, you name
it - and we knew we weren’t alone. We decided
we wouldn’t box ourselves in. Truth4Youth
would discuss anything relating to young people,
providing angles from an honest, youthful point
of view.
43. PAGE 43
“...Truth4Youth has succeeded in becoming a platform where
young people are inspired to experiment with writing and to
read and engage with the ideas we present.”
The tricky bit was getting it off the ground.
We approached Naomi because she had been
such an encouraging supporter throughout our
involvement in Banyule 100. Positive as usual,
she believed we could do it. Naomi’s dedication
and encouraging attitude propelled us forward.
She applied to the State Government for Engage!
funding to help bring our idea to life.
Soon enough, amazing things were happening.
Our blog was firing up with our newly designed
name and logo, young people around our
local community were joining the team as
photographers and writers, and we were lucky
enough to recruit Bhakthi Puvanenthiran (a
professional journalist) as our mentor. During our
monthly meetings, we were already planning the
release of a hard-copy edition of Truth4Youth.
This would be a compilation of all of our writers’
best articles to date. We soon also secured a
monthly column in The Weekly Review.
Eighty articles, three hard copy editions and 600
Facebook likes later, Truth4Youth has achieved
many wondrous things. One of our proudest
moments occurred recently at the Banyule Youth
Volunteer Awards night where Truth4Youth
won the Highly Commended award in the
Community Group category. Being recognised for
our contribution to the community was humbling
and an honour. Joely and I stared at each other as
we won the award, knowing neither of us could
have ever expected such brilliant events to have
unfolded when we first started dreaming in 2009.
Thanks to the Engage! program and help from
the Banyule Youth Services, Truth4Youth
has succeeded in becoming a platform where
young people are inspired to experiment with
writing and to read and engage with the ideas
we present. The response from the community
has been astonishingly positive. Our team now
consists of budding photographers, writers and
editors, all helped by our professional mentors
who give us guidance.
Just as my obsession with the written word will
never cease, I hope Truth4Youth will never cease
providing a way for others with a similar passion
to express their creativity.
Engage! is funded by the Victorian Government
44. PAGE 44
Ryan Anderson Smith – Getting Down to Business
Hi, I’m Ryan and I’m 24 years old. For the past
four years or so I’ve worked for a big insurance
company. During this time I managed to climb
a few levels to keep things interesting, but
ultimately I realised that a lack of inspiration
and passion was holding me back. I was ready to
break free and allow my passion to lead me.
2014 has been a year of change for me. I have
made a number of big decisions and totally shifted
my future direction. I walked away from my full
time job in financial services so I could spend
more time developing my own business. I heard
about the Getting Down to Business Program on
social media and decided to participate. I think
it’s great that the Victorian Government is taking
the lead on backing young entrepreneurs with
innovative ideas.
The Getting Down to Business program has given
me the opportunity to meet likeminded people
and to benefit from successful entrepreneurs,
who have shared their own experiences, struggles
and ultimately inspired me to confidently pursue
my own business startup. For me, one of the most
valuable parts of this program has been having
someone listen to my idea and turn around and
say - yes, that is a good idea and yes, you can
make this happen.
The program has brought together a really
diverse range of young people, from those who
have new ideas to those who have existing
businesses and are looking to increase their scale.
I have been partnered with an amazing mentor
who has given me practical tips and guidance to
help develop my concept from the early thinking
stages through to a strong pitch, supported by
market research that presents a real life problem
and opportunity.
Managing myself through change has presented
some challenges. However I have had the support
of my enterprise facilitator, who I catch up with
regularly and who has kept me on track. I’m
getting the most of out this program by keeping
up momentum and focusing on knowing my
business inside and out.
I’ve definitely developed as a person because of
this program, I see myself getting off the ground
and releasing my product to the Melbourne
market in the next six months. If you had asked
me before I started the program whether I could
achieve this, I probably would have said that I was
capable of doing it, but I wasn’t quite sure how to
take those initial practical steps.
45. PAGE 45
From here I’m working on fine tuning my pitch,
generating interest and backing my business
through angel investment or brining on a co-
founder.
I’m excited about my future and I would highly
recommend the Getting Down to Business
Program to any young entrepreneurs who want
to kick start their business idea and connect with
other like minded young people.
Getting Down to Business
is funded by the Victorian Government
“I’m excited about my future and I would highly recommend
the Getting Down to Business Program to any young
entrepreneurs who want to kick start their business idea and
connect with other like minded young people.”
46. PAGE 46
David Schout - AFL Youth Central Rookie Reporters
I started my AFL Youth Central Rookie Reporters
internship with AFL Media in March 2013,
working one day a week based at AFL House in
Docklands. When I saw the advert for the intern
positions in late 2012, given that I’m a self-
diagnosed football nut, I knew the position would
be a great opportunity for a glimpse inside a high
pressure newsroom, and to experience a line of
work I wanted to pursue.
Unlike most other sporting league websites, afl.
com.au acts independently from the AFL. That is,
it’s designed to report on all aspects of the league,
good and bad. The website is funded by the AFL
with the intention of providing credible news
for visitors.
Some would presume the AFL would step in once
a story that’s damaging to its brand is about to
be run. I can honestly say though, in my time
there (albeit short), that was never the case. The
12 or so journalists in the room are always eager
to break news, just like all of the other major
football websites.
As an intern you have to tread the line between
making yourself useful and not being “that
annoying kid”. When I started out it was a little
difficult to find my feet in such a busy newsroom.
Slowly I managed to build good rapport with the
editor and other reporters, to the point where
they trusted me when assigning me a story.
I took care of the weekly VFL report in the AFL
Record for season 2013 and basically helped
out where needed. This included writing match
previews, injury updates or general news stories.
I’ve also shadowed several reporters to press
conferences throughout the season. These
usually involved a player or coach from any of
the Melbourne clubs.
One Friday afternoon in July, the editor called
me asking if I was interested in covering the
game at the MCG that night (Collingwood
versus Adelaide). One of the reporters was a
late withdrawal and I was asked to take her
spot. Naturally, I jumped at the chance and was
assigned to sit in the press box and provide
coverage of the game alongside one of the other
AFL Media reporters.
Sitting with prominent football journalists in
Melbourne (Mark Robinson, Bruce Matthews,
etc.) was a buzz. As the night progressed I
47. PAGE 47
“No one expects you to set the world on fire but try and
pitch story ideas to the editor. It shows you’re proactive and
that you’re thinking ahead.”
realised how ruthless match reporting can be. I
was expected to file my report on or within five
minutes of the final siren, which proved difficult
given the match’s relatively close result.
After the game I went down to the losing rooms
(Adelaide) and approached their media manager
for a player interview. Before the game I had
seen on Twitter that Adelaide player Jarryd
Lyons - who kicked four goals on the night - had
played school cricket with new Aussie sensation
Ashton Agar. Agar had just scored a brilliant
98 on debut in England the night before and I
wanted to speak with Lyons for a potential story.
The media manager agreed to my request and
I spoke to Lyons, firstly about the game and
eventually about playing with Agar at De La Salle
College. I also attended Adelaide coach Brenton
Sanderson’s press conference and wrote a report
on that. I was still sitting in the MCG press box
at 1am with a few other reporters, but it was all
worth it in the end.
My experience at AFL media has, above all
things, given me the best indication yet of what it
takes to be a journalist at that level. Watching the
experienced guys go about their work and being
able to pick their brains at various times has been
a really positive experience. Hopefully my time
there has given me a solid grounding for future
work in sports journalism, an area I’m most
passionate about.
If I had one piece of advice to journalism students
entering into their first round of internships/
placements, it would be this: make yourself
useful and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask
where you can help out and, when given a task,
make sure you are thorough and concise. No one
expects you to set the world on fire but try and
pitch story ideas to the editor. It shows you’re
proactive and that you’re thinking ahead.
The AFL Youth Central Rookie Reporters Program
is supported by the Victorian Government
48. PAGE 48
Alice Louise Csabi - Heathmont Talowa Guides
I’m Alice Louise Csabi. I’m 21 and I live in
Heathmont, Maroondah, in Melbourne.
Since finishing secondary school I have been
studying a Bachelor of Primary Education
and Music at Deakin University, whilst also
working as an instrumental music teacher.
While I am not studying or working I spend
my time volunteering as a Guide Leader of the
Heathmont/Ringwood Talowa Guides aged 10 to
14 years and the Heathmont/Ringwood Dolphin
Guides aged five to seven years. I am also on
the production team for Whitehorse Showtime,
a Guide and Scout musical in my area, and the
co-coordinator for the Victorian Girl Guide Choir,
formed this year.
From the age of five I have been a member
of Girl Guides in my local area. I’ve had many
opportunities to develop my communication
skills, leadership abilities and initiative during
this time. From an early age camping has been
a huge part of my life. It has provided me with
opportunities to make new friends, try activities
that I would never have dared and experience the
wonderful outdoors.
An example of this is from one of my first Guide
Camps at Britannia Park in Yarra Junction. I was
seven and had my first experience of abseiling. I
can remember being so terrified and not wanting
to come down, but with the encouragement
of my leaders and fellow Guides I managed to
come down the tree with a big smile on my face.
Recently I have taken up abseiling and am now
part of the 1st Emerald Scouts Abseiling Team,
completing my qualifications. Now it is my turn
to help young children to face their fears and
abseil for the first time.
In 2009, when I was 17, I had the opportunity
to travel with the Australian contingent to the
Philippines for the Asia Pacific Region Summit.
I had just completed my Queen’s Guide Award
and was honoured to be chosen as one of two
Australian Youth Representatives at the Summit.
I assisted with the running of the International
Campfire and was involved in discussions about
the future of Guiding for Youth Members in
the Asia Pacific Region and around the world.
It was determined that “intergenerational and
cross-cultural connections would have huge
benefits for the movement”. This can also be used
when thinking about the communities that we
are part of.
49. PAGE 49
“Girl Guides has helped me to grow into a confident, self-
respecting and responsible community member.”
After returning from the Summit, I spoke about
my experiences and the idea of ‘peer education’
in relation to adolescent health, education
and wellbeing at various functions including
the Melbourne International Women’s Day
Breakfast in 2010. I also made a public address at
Victoria’s Parliament House. I continued to help
with national projects and conferences including
‘Be the Change’, an advocacy-focused conference
addressing the United Nations Millennium
Development Goals, run by Girl Guides Australia.
As soon as I turned 18 I started my leadership
qualifications so that I could give back what I got
out of Guiding to others. I started to volunteer
as a leader on the State School Holiday Program
Camps and am now qualified to take girls
camping indoors, outdoors in tents and also on
hiking expeditions.
This year the Victorian Girl Guide Choir was
formed, giving girls the opportunity to perform at
a variety of functions. They take part in fortnightly
rehearsals and sing both traditional Guiding
and popular songs. We hope to expand both in
numbers and repertoire in the coming years.
Recently my unit went back to Britannia Park on
our Eco Warrior Service camp where we got to
experience the stunning surrounds and wildlife
including kangaroos and koalas. The girls took
part in service by pulling out weeds. They pulled
out 1451 plants in just under an hour and spent
the time singing while they worked. We then took
part in a Wide Game where the girls completed
Challenge Valley and developed their teamwork
and communication skills. The girls cooked dinner
on an open fire and ran a brilliant campfire for
the Cub Scouts also staying on the property.
Without Guides I believe I would be a very
different person. Girl Guides has helped me
to grow into a confident, self-respecting and
responsible community member. Guiding
presents you with many opportunities and
helps you to develop as an individual. I strive to
empower the girls in my unit and around the
State to believe that they can make a difference
in this world, no matter how small.
Girl Guides Victoria is funded by the Victorian Government
50. PAGE 50
Bianca Gawith - Be Heard! / SYN Media
I am an 18-year-old Gippslander from the rural
city of Traralgon. Throughout my youth I
always had an itch to get involved in the media
industry. Whether that be from watching the
news or television shows like ‘Rove’ (back in its
day), listening to Hamish and Andy on the radio,
or even reading old issues of Dolly and Cosmo.
Media has always had me hooked.
Now, freshly employed at the local commercial
radio station TRFM, I would never have
dreamed of scoring such a job at my age, until I
volunteered for government initiatives relative to
the industry.
Looking back on my journey, I remember being
unsure of how to get involved in radio. It wasn’t
until a friend of mine, CJ Dunlop, encouraged
me to go to the next training session at Gippsland
FM (the local community station) that I became
a volunteer presenter on a youth-run program
known as ‘Be Heard!’.
I first got involved at the local community station
at Gippsland FM when I was 16. The Be Heard!
program was named after and occurred thanks
to the $5000 Be Heard Grant received from the
Victorian Government in 2012. Being the only
youth show at the station meant so much to the
group of volunteers and station management
involved.
During my time in Be Heard! we interviewed a
variety people in the area, from local bands and
artists to puppets from the cast of Avenue Q,
from a pro wrestler to a vision-impaired man
who rocked on the ukulele. The Be Heard! team
was also given the incredible opportunity to
interview celebrity, Bam Margera, from MTV’S
hit show ‘Jackass’ and ‘Viva La Bam’. With
some of the grant money, we were able to hold
a successful event which showcased the local
bands and artists we’d had on the show. This was
a chance like no other in the Gippsland region - to
have our voices heard on the airwaves.
Being a part of a government initiative like the
Be Heard! program sparked another opportunity
for me at SYN Media, as a Young Media Leader.
SYN Media is an organisation in Melbourne
run by young people that provides training and
broadcast opportunities in the media.
In late 2013, SYN was looking to expand the
organisation across Australia with its new digital
radio platform, calling it the SYN Nation project.
51. PAGE 51
To achieve this, five Young Media Leaders were
picked around Australia to create media hubs
for youth in partnership with their local
community stations.
I wanted to create my media hub in partnership
with Gippsland FM, to address the lack of youth
involvement in media in my local area. Whether
it be youth who may want to pursue a career in
media or just be a part of something where they
feel free to be heard and let their creative minds
go, I wanted to give the volunteers at my hub
an opportunity to come into the Gippsland FM
station and make their very own radio shows.
These would be broadcast simultaneously on
Gippsland FM’s station locally as well as to a
national audience on SYN’s new digital channel,
SYN Nation.
As a Young Media Leader I have met some
incredible volunteers, with a love for media
alike. I was also lucky enough to meet
politician Malcolm Turnbull, the Minister for
Communications, at the official launch of the
SYN Nation project.
Initiatives such as the Be Heard! program and
the SYN Nation project are valuable in giving
young people access to media, allowing them to
come into a space where they can have fun and
express themselves, while building the vital skills
required for the media industry.
“...I would never have dreamed of scoring such a job at my
age, until I volunteered for government initiatives relative to
the industry.”
Be Heard! and SYN Media
are funded by the Victorian Government
52. PAGE 52
Ashley Pert - Cardinia FReeZA
My name is Ashley Pert. I’m from the lovely
town of Pakenham and I spent five awesome
years as part of the Electric Productions
FReeZA Committee.
I joined FReeZA because my girlfriend at the
time was a part of the committee and it meant we
could spend more time together. It was 2009 and
it was just before my 18th birthday.
Initially I was pretty reserved about the whole
thing, unsure of what to do. But with a bit of
prompting I quickly became a vocal point within
the committee, leading ideas and bringing up any
issues that the other members didn’t have the
confidence to discuss with the group.
Having done this for 5 years or so, I had the
opportunity to work on so many events that
are impossible to list, but some of the highlights
were “December Bender”, a 12 hour event we
held in Beaconsfield featuring Scar the Surface
and Dream on Dreamer. I’ve also worked every
Push Over since 2009, doing jobs ranging from
roaming to assistant stage manager.
My biggest challenge, as well as most of the
committee, was confidence. I personally
overcame this by just “sucking it up”. I was given
a job so I knew I had to do it. Other challenges
were more in the moment things, like arriving
at the venue on the day of the event to find we
had no stage, or having a headliner pull out on us
two days before the event. These kind of issues
can only be faced and beaten with a quick mind
and determination.
Twelve months ago I would have said getting to
work with so many awesome bands and see so
many kids lose their minds when the bands hit
the stage, but now I would have to say the most
outstanding experience is actually seeing my
former committee putting on awesome shows,
and knowing I helped some of those kids learn
how to do it.
During my time on the committee I learnt better
communication skills, patience and negotiation
skills. I learnt how to mix sound which is
pretty awesome. I also learnt that no matter
how perfectly you plan something, it won’t go
according to plan, so you’ve got to be able to trust
in yourself to work on the fly to keep things
going.
Because of my time in FReeZA, I now host
a Radio show on 97.1FM every Saturday at
midnight. I also manage a band, The Weight Of
53. PAGE 53
“... I would have to say the most outstanding experience
is actually seeing my former committee putting on
awesome shows, and knowing I helped some of those
kids learn how to do it.”
Silence and I’m doing some training and work in
audio engineering with Pony Music in Hallam, as
well as running audio independently at events,
such as SelbyFest in Selby. I also volunteer my
time to Pave festival in Emerald.
Right now my day job is in warehousing, only
because it’s what I’ve always done (it pays the
bills), but I do some Audio Engineering when
work comes my way, which I definitely prefer.
Also with my duties as band manager and host of
a radio show, I keep fairly busy.
My FReeZA experience has really helped me
find who I really am. It helped me discover career
options and hobbies I wouldn’t have discovered
otherwise. Also, without FReeZA, I wouldn’t
have met some of my closest friends.
My advice is, don’t doubt yourself, be confident,
don’t MC when you’re sick, and don’t wear
converse shoes in the pit!
FReeZA is funded by the Victorian Government
