By Callum Ludwig
2022 has been a big year for youth in the Yarra Ranges, as they got out and made significant community contributions as we emerged from two years of interruptions.
The 15th edition of the Celebrating YOUth awards was held at the Mooroolbark Community Centre on Wednesday 7 December to recognise some of the fine efforts of local young people.
There were 31 nominations in six categories: Resilience, Passionate Advocate, Creative Arts, Young Entrepreneurs, Environmental Sustainability, Community Improvement and special recognition for a local winner of ABC’s TakeOver Melbourne competition.
The Resilience award was first and it went to Burmese refugee Byak Hlei Par Kang. Byak missed a fair portion of her formal education in the time it took for her and her family to make it to Australia, but she knuckled down and the award recognises her academic efforts. Byak said learning English fluently has been her biggest challenge and she is still learning so that she can speak fluently and confidently with her friends. Byak’s advice to other young people in a tough spot was to never be negatively affected by their surroundings.
The Passionate Advocate award went to Telita Lenore, who was involved in the Victorian Youth Parliament’s push to mandate a Reconciliation Action Plan for all schools in Victoria. Local schools had taken notice with Mount Lilydale Mercy College having previously enquired how the school can use the information provided in the RAP to address the upcoming compulsory teaching of cultural connection to the land in science.
Hayden Pierson took out the Creative Arts award for his work with the MISFIT Project, a peer-to-peer initiative with young people in the YarraRanges offering options to be involved in theatre groups, hangouts, writing groups, camps, dungeons and dragons sessions and a glee club. Hayden couldn’t attend in person as he was involved in the MISFIT end-of-year performance but left a powerful video message encouraging adults to get on a similar level as young people and let them speak while listening to hear, rather than respond.
The Young Entrepreneurs Award was presented to Blaise, Oskar and Geordie from OBG Productions, who started up their video production company over the last two years to fill a gap in local talent. They have exceeded their customer expectations while also working and meeting a lot of cool different people. The three boys encouraged any young person with a passion to follow it, bring their skills together with others and bring it to life, and they wantto see the perception that young people are lazy and unmotivated change.
Candice Farrugia-Roberts was the winner of the Environmental Sustainability award, as she studies botany and is making the effort to be a ‘litter fairy who endeavours to keep rubbish off our streets and out of the environment, hosting clothes swaps and with plans for an organised rubbish pick up event. Candice said she has learnt the power of asking, by just posing the question or idea to someone often enough to get them on board and involved. She wants to see the perception changed that young people can’t be entrusted with power and that she enjoys the energy of a community coming together.
The lead volunteers of the Rural rainbows group, Harry, Teddy, Jessy, Kirsten and Razz were honoured with the Community Improvement award for creating a safe space among the local LGBTQIA+. Harry was in attendance to accept the award and said he has enjoyed hanging out with the people who have joined the group and connecting with them on the base level of just having a conversation. Harry said the group has been very popular and he encourages anyone with a similar idea for safe space to do so, and wants to change the perception that young people are apathetic.
Klarissa is boarding at the Worawa Aboriginal College in Healesville, leaving her friends and family in the Tiwi Islands to learn in the Yarra Ranges. Klarissa shared her story for the ABC’s Takeover Melbourne and told of her desire to keep culture strong, something which she does by speaking three Indigenous languages and her artwork. Klarissa said she enjoys camping on country and watching the stars at night, remembering the stories her grandma told her. This year, Klarissa won first prize for her get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! poster and got to paint the boots of Hawthorn AFL players for the Indigenous Round.
Representatives of the Yarra Ranges Youth Advisory Group, Yarra Ranges Youth ambassadors and FreeZa committee members attended the event.
The entire event was organised and run by the Celebrating YOUth committee and all award winners received a certificate, a $200 gift voucher and a framed piece of artwork from Indigenous artist Billy-Jay O’Toole.
