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Wyndham City Youth Services is committed to supporting and promoting the ingenuity and accomplishments of young people across the municipality.

Each month Council will select a Wyndham resident aged between 12 – 25 to be awarded the young person of the month – ‘One Wyndham’ recipient.

The award aims to build the profile of young people who are positively contributing to the Wyndham community and thank them for their contribution and dedication and acknowledge their achievements. The selected monthly candidate will be a positive role model to other young people in the community who may have similar aspirations and goals.

What the award entails

Winners of the One Wyndham Young Person of the Month will receive:

  • A $300 gift voucher
  • Profile image and article in the Council monthly newsletter; Wyndham News, 
  • Profile picture and biography on the One Wyndham webpage
  • A bi-monthly advert in the Star Weekly newspaper, highlighting their achievements
  • A certificate, which they can reference in their CV and job applications
  • Invitation to attend the monthly - One Wyndham Peer Networking Dinners.

One Wyndham Application Form (self-nominate)

One Wyndham Nomination Form (nominate someone else)

2024

March Winner - Howard Chong

7 years ago I immigrated to Australia at age 9. I didn't know much about Australia or its sports! I didn't exactly like footy, cricket or basketball. What I did like though was volleyball but unfortunately here in West Melbourne, volleyball wasn't very prominent. Especially due to West Melbourne’s socio economic status compared to East Melbourne where majority of the Volleyball Clubs are situated. I was frustrated!
 

That's why I worked with my dad to create a non for profit volleyball club the " Melbourne volleyball club" to create an opportunity for kids like me who never got the chance to take part in the sport they love. We have raised about $4000 dollars from donors for our cause and have 30 young players expressing an interest! I have dedicated myself to providing kids like me, in Wyndham, who lack the opportunities to part-take in the sport they love.

I first started small. I made small changes in my school to cultivate a stronger sporting culture. I acted as student representative and then later became sports captain who introduced an after school sports program.

I frequently part take in leadership and planning programs/courses.
I have participated in the Huddle's (North Melbourne Football Club's Non-profit organisation)“Gamechangers" event, co-hosted by the Equal Ed organisation, This helped me to develop the necessary skills and knowledge of event management on how to plan and propose a large scale event.

I was one of twenty six successful applicants in the whole of Australia of the Australian Olympic Committee's "Changemaker's award" that recognised my leadership efforts in leveraging the benefits of sport to improve my community. I have been invited to attend the 2023 Australian Olympic Change-Maker National Summit where I improve my leadership abilities such that I can apply it in my community.

Currently, I am studying and have completed the VCE units 3 & 4 for psychology. Whilst I converse with members of my community I always try to check up on their mental and physical wellbeing. Having learnt knowledge about the human psychology allows me to identify sources of stress and make any suggestions to improve their health. Recently, I had completed my employment with the Huddle as a ‘program support officer’ where I help run the 2023 Winter Basketball competition.

I am most passionate about providing everyone with an equal opportunity to pursue their passion, talent and even interest. I believe no individual no matter their race, socio economic status or nationality should be deprived of an equal opportunity to succeed. This passion of mine results in my actions to advocate for a more accessible facility for extra curricular activity such as sports. My childhood had lacked the sport I loved solely because there had been little development of the sporting culture in West Melbourne therefore now as a young adult with a voice to be heard, I advocate for there to be more accessible sporting clubs for kids like me in the West!

I helped pioneer the proposal of a school based sports academy and have planns to take additional measures such as applying for government grants to help fund our school's sporting environment. This was done primarily through the Wyndham Council hosted program, the "Wyndham Student Representative Committee” in 2022. The experience allowed me to gain an insight as to how to plan and structure a proposal to my school's principal. As well as to use it as a medium to voice the interests of students for a more accessible sport facility.

I influence other people around me by garnering an authentic relationship with them. By constantly thinking empathetically, I am able to converse with my peers in a way they feel valued and heard. The 2023 WEPN (Wyndham Emerging Professionals Network) event held by Wyndham Council, Nidhi and Geet that focused on Communication and Emotional Intelligence allowed me to learn ways to communicate empathetically. I would like to thank my fellow panel speakers Martin Probst for sharing information on how to effectively work with others as a leader, Serena Low, another panel speaker, sharing her intricate knowledge on how to control one's emotions and Liam Cross (Senior Community Employment Project Officer Wyndham Council), for providing me with the opportunity to attend as a panel speaker to share and learn knowledge about "Communication and Emotional Intelligence" which I then used to applied to my community and in school!

I believe one of my greatest skills is the ability to be empathetic and to exercise humility. I believe this is especially important as being part of a community requires me to act collectively in its best interest rather than my individual self. To be empathetic would allow me to understand the position of my fellow community members and how they feel about an issue. This empowers me to consider their feelings and opinions while solving an issue. To exercise humility is a skill I have learnt being a leader in my school community. As a young individual, more importantly a leader, to be able to prioritise issues at hand over one’s ego is incredibly important, especially in a collective settings.

My hopes and dreams in the future is to instil inspiration and motivate young aspiring individuals to find love for a sport. I am a firm advocate for sports serving as a medium to maintain physical, mental and social health. Specifically, I wish to see students of every school be able to part take in a sport facilitate in their school. For every student to be able to part take in such an important extra curricular activity. Schools are the perfect facility for sporting programs as they allow for students to feel comfort in an environment they are familiar and be able to adopt their identity as proud representatives of their school. Additionally, schools are highly accessible and have the potential to be more than a learning ground.

February Winner - Iti Ashta

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I am a secondary high school student and recently was awarded the Citizenship Captain.

I have planned over 15 fundraisers for organisations including the Red Cross, the kid Helpline, the MATW project, the RSL, the Cancer Council and many more. these fundraisers often come in the form of bake sales or selling goods.

I have raised $2,500 with the help of my friends and family for those in need in the past 6-8 months.

In particular I planned an extensive bakesale at my school on the 27th of November to raise funds for humanitarian aid for children in Gaza currently. Raising over $1000 dollars from the bake sale.

I have also volunteered many hours to my local age care home, working with the amazing staff to bring joy to the elderly.

I absolutely love working with the sweet and wise elderly people at this aged care and am looking forward to working with them in the future. I have also worked with the RSL to support returned veterans. i believe this work to be extremely important because it allows me to recognise and give back to those who gave their life for my country.

I am a very diligent student, who strived for excellence in all my subjects. I have been passionate about Debating/public speaking for the majority of my high school years. I love talking about important issues and working in a team.

I have been involved in DAV (Debating Association of Victoria) and was also awarded the Swanni Award. This award goes to students with the highest debating scores in their district (western district). I also participated in WynSpeak, where I spoke about the impacts of social media. I recently participated in the Monash Asian Studies Debate where schools from across Victoria come together to debate contemporary issues relevant to Asia. Debating has been a domain that I truly love and will continue to partake in for many years to come.

A community issue that I was fortunate to be a part of earlier this year, is Reconciliation week. Together with other students, I was able arrange activities in my school to help shift our mindset about the right of Indigenous people. I truly believe that while fundraising is key to help the community, we cannot move forward as a society without first changing our attitudes towards certain issues. During Reconciliation week, we tackled this issue, by asking each and every student what their opinion was about Australia's history, culture and achievements. We also ran seminars to talk about how everyone can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

I also fundraised for the Kids Helpline. As I have seen bullying in schools. I ran this fundraiser because the issue hit me the most, as I have personally experienced the effects that bullying can have on a child. I also shared this experience with my community and how I received help in the hope that I could inspire others to also not stay quiet on the issue.

I believe I influence the youth in our community by being a role model and acting in a way that that inspires future generations. For a long time, I was afraid of being a leader and standing in front of a crowd and giving a speech. Once I realised that i could change someone's perspective, I threw my doubts away and went for it. Public speaking about important topics has been my way of voicing my opinions and knowledge so that other young people in our community can learn from my experiences. I also know that to be an effective leader and inspiration it is important to truly know who you are trying to influence. This was especially important for me, in my role as School Ambassador, where other young individuals come for a tour of my school. It never failed to amaze me, how intrigued the students were to look around and how they hung onto my every words as a prazed our school's amenities. I realised through my position that I can truly bring a change to these people's mindsets and help them in their journey.

I believe that I have a talent to build empathy in individuals. I understand that every single person's life is their own and that a community cannot be truly inclusive without putting yourself in other people's shoes.

I hope to become a lawyer in the future. this passion was sparked in year 7 as I was inspired by other women in my family who are proficient lawyers in their field. I have found that ,fighting for justice and those who have been wronged is the most important way to spend my life.

In particular I want to work in an organisation that provides legal services to those who normally would not have been able to afford a lawyer. This is because I believe legal aid should be available to everyone despite their circumstances in life.

 

January winner- Win Moe Htet Aung

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Win Aung is from a Karen refugee background and lived in a refugee camp for more than a decade on the border of Thailand and Burma.

He is now studying at University and also working in accounts. He is also a very good role model for many young people from the community of Burma.  He is a valued supporter for seniors and leaders in Melbourne Karen Buddhist Community and other communities of Burma. He has also received the New and emerging Diverse Community Leadership Excellence Award and Lalor Hero Award.  

Win is the youth leader of Melbourne Karen Buddhist Association, the youth department helping with building the community Temple including project planning and development.

He organized the MKBA Youth Sport Tournament that around 12 hundred young people across Wyndham attended and participated.

He led the team in the event planning, budgeting, funding application and ground controls.

He is currently studying, working and also serving the communities with projects, and many youth and volunteers activities.

Sport and other community recreation activities, and building youth activities as well as spiritual activities, like meditation and reflection training.

Win contributed by organizing many youth activities for the Karen Communities and has also supported several program activities of Karuna's, Friday youth drop in program.

Win has excellent management skills, leadership skills ( he participated in Wyndham Interfaith Network's Youth Leadership Camp and others ) accounting skills, as his major is commerce and art from Uni.

2023

December Winner - Ruth Tangbau

December Winner - Kachin

I came to Australia as a Kachin refugee in 2015. In the same year, I attended English Learning Centre to learn English and then started high school from year 10and graduated high school in 2017. I am recipient of numerous scholarships which are outlined in the achievement section below.

I want to help people from vulnerable communities through education. I am the first person to complete a tertiary education in my Kachin community. I want to be a role model for other young people from refugee background families that they can achieve their dreams too if they do not give up and are passionate enough to make a difference in the world.

My achievements include: *Recipient of Western Chances Scholarship (2016-2022), *Science Start-Up Scholarship (the University of Melbourne, 2018), *Mary Jane Lewis Scholarship (2018-2020), *Trinity Residential College Scholarship (2018-2022)*Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) scholarship 2017 (sponsored by Laverton and Point Cook Club), *Mentor at the Young Leaders program (Trinity College, the University of Melbourne) in 2018, *Science Delivery program roadshow presenter, *promoting STEM education in both metro and regional low SES schools of Victoria, *local committee member of a youth led global organisation called AIESEC (the University of Melbourne).

I Graduated with a Bachelor of Science (neuroscience) from the University of Melbourne in 2022. I am currently completing Master of Teaching at Australian Catholic University (ACU) (2023 -2024) and I am working as a paraprofessional teacher at Manor Lakes P-12 College (Teach For Australia Associate).

I am passionate about youth mentoring, volunteering for humanitarian organisations and projects, education, health & wellbeing and advocating for child sexual abuse victims.

I have volunteered in the following; planting trees for the National Tree Day in 2018,  volunteered as a social support for cancer patients at Sunshine Hospital in 2018 and 2019, fund raising events held by the Kachin community by performing traditional dance, volunteered as an alumna guest speaker to motivate and inspire students (both EAL and mainstream students’ leadership programs) through my story at Hoppers Crossing Secondary College, volunteered as a roadshow presenter for Science Delivery Program (the University of Melbourne), mentored at the Young Leaders program (Trinity College, the University of Melbourne) in December 2019.

For the Science Delivery program, I visited both metro and regional low SES schools in Victoria, presented science show which involved various science experiments with a Q&A session afterwards, and inspired thousands of students to engage in STEM studies and go to university.

During the Young Leaders program, I mentored high school students, both local and international, who are in my team regarding their personal development, career pathways and tertiary education goals.

As a committee member of AIESEC, I led weekly youth development workshops throughout the first semester of 2022 academic year.

I am working as a Teach for Australia Associate to help alleviate the shortage of teachers that low socioeconomic schools are facing. As myself came from low SES areas and refugee background, I am using education as a platform to lead and inspire young people in the community.

Using my knowledge and skills from my own experiences and achievements, I am confident to mentor young people in their educational journey. I am confident in public speaking, teaching, mentoring, leading workshops and creating educational video contents.

I want to work together with community leaders and organisations that advocate and raise awareness for victims of child sexual abuse, empower youth and help vulnerable communities. I believe that I can do it all, not all at once, but one step at a time.

To be an inspirational role model for refugee students by sharing my stories of resilience.

To become a professional teacher who leads and inspires many young people.

My ultimate hope is to be able to contribute back to Myanmar’s education when the country’s political situation becomes better. One day when the military coup is over, Myanmar will need many educated young people to rebuild the country. I want to be part of this mission by promoting education, building schools, and leading learning in rural remote areas of the country where help is needed.

November - Alexavier Sigurdur

November - Alexavier Sigurdur

My art work was recently selected as part of Wyndham City’s Youth Services QArt project 2022 and was on display at Point Cook Community Centre and the Youth Resource Centre in Hoppers Crossing.

I am passionate about Art and lgbtqia+ issues.

By supporting young people in the lgbtqia+ community, showing support and acceptance though art and positive interactions and creating a safe and accepting space for the lgbtqia+ community in Wyndham.

I want to be able to fully support myself and my family through artwork.

October winner- Deepshika Adhinarayanan

October winner- Deepshika Adhinarayanan

I’m Deepshika, a Year 11 student who loves maths, drawing, playing the violin and anything booksy. My experience of living in various countries gave me unique lessons that allowed me to build empathy as well as a special perspective on the world. I’ve noticed that while different countries have different ways of life, there are many recurring themes that show potential for change. This time, I’ve moved to Australia to stay for good, making this place special, and I try to give back to the community to establish permanent ties all while prioritising the most benevolent route. I’m proud of taking up all the opportunities I can to recognise Indigenous values, advocate for my culture, raise funds for important causes, and help improve children’s education through opportunities I have gotten from my school

I have engaged in the VSL (Victorian School of Languages) community through learning my mother-tongue, Tamil, while contributing to many events through this connection, such as hosting and MC-ing end-of-year celebrations that commemorated our culture as well as playing my violin for musical performances and dancing to spread inspiration. I enjoy spending a lot of my time every week practising Taekwondo, learning new skills as well as building connections within another community there. I participated in the Junior Leadership Program, which allowed me to develop certain niche skills that are helping me through many parts of my interactions with other people. Being a member of the Victorian Student Representative Council is another opportunity for me to make a positive impact on the Victorian education system, to bring more focus to the things that can help students reach their potential.

I am currently studying and volunteer weekly at the Salvation Army stores to help the institution deliver support to those around the world who are unfortunately in a disadvantaged position.

I am most passionate about education, being an ardent learner myself, and aspire to support people in order to overcome any inequality or disparity on the basis of age, gender, financial position or origin. I am eager to inspire students so that we can unleash the potential the world’s youth has. I also love music and playing tennis, which balances my studies.

In addition to volunteering for the Salvation Army, I am part of the RAP (Reconciliation Action Plan) committee at my school, an initiative of Reconciliation Australia, and I help in making sure that my school is taking into consideration Indigenous values to be woven into the school curriculum and environment. I have hosted my first Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea this year, in honour of my family-friends to raise funds for the Cancer Council, which had a much larger effect than I could have ever hoped for.

I take part in the Student2Student reading program, which is a program designed to help expand reading skills for those who may struggle more than others due to unfortunate situations. It’s where I’m able to help kids develop an interest in reading, spread enjoyment and open doors to new universes that I get to experience from reading books myself! I’m fortunate to be in a school where my peers keep pushing each other to do the best they can for the community, and this experience means I can spread that influence through the other communities I mingle with. The cancer fundraising was an eye-opening experience for many in my neighbourhood.

My childhood experiences shaped my personality, and gave me the values for me to build empathy and support others in need. This pushed me to explore pathways to enable young people. Through the programs I participated in, I’ve imparted my experiences with others helping them realise the benefits of a better education too. My pursuit of sustaining Indigenous culture and values helped influence a more inclusive community on the whole, especially at my school. On a more personal level, I use my skills and experiences to make the environment more friendly and comfortable to be in. Moreover, I have an inclination to always strive to find multiple solutions to any issue, which pushes me to build a healthy community through numerous angles.

My dream is to be in a position where I’m able to use my skills to make a positive impact on any aspect of the world around us, and I believe that a career in the medical field will be a great way to connect with people and to have a direct impact. My school provides opportunities to connect with various leaders who can help me accomplish my dream of continuing to give to other people. In the future, I want to continue to advocate, building a country for us to be proud of. I’m keenly looking to expand my horizon by looking at how the synergy of a community can help in addressing greater issues like global warming and poverty. I hope that in the future, these connections grow and continue to inspire me and more people to do whatever they can, no matter how little it may be.

September- Atticus Tan

OneWyndham

Atticus has a huge interest in bikes and he is always researching on how to upgrade his very own bike in the garage. It all began when he started fixing his siblings' bikes and then the neighbours'. Atticus knew he could put his bike repair knowledge to greater use.

Atticus' mum - Leah began putting up posts on Point Cook local "Buy Nothing" Facebook page, offering his free bike servicing services. Very quickly, residents of Point Cook started making appointments to send their bikes in for health checks, tyres and chain replacement, seat adjustment or even a full bike repair. He would open up the garage on alternate weeks and during the school holidays so that parents could send their children's bikes in before a major cycling trip. And as he works on the bikes, he also coaches the parents on how to maintain their children's bikes, for safety purposes and awareness.

Atticus also picks up abandoned bike parts and collects donated spare parts to use them on his repair projects. The stash that he collected managed to put so many bikes back onto the road, avoiding the fate of them landing in the landfill! He was not only helping to cut environmental waste but also saving residents thousands of dollars.

It was always the smiles on the faces of those who came to get their bikes serviced that makes Atticus feel that all his effort of opening up his garage to help the community was all worth it.

Other than opening up his garage to service bikes of the community for free. He is also an active Leading Cadet in the Australian Air Force Cadet, based out of Point Cook RAAF. Atticus volunteers actively through the AAFC on Anzac Day, Remembrance Day and on other important military events held all over Victoria.

Atticus is a student at Alamanda College. On weekends, Atticus has a pool of neighbours who pay for his mowing services. He mows their nature strips once a month and he would use the money earned to purchase parts for his free bike repair workshop in the garage.

Atticus loves cycling, sailing and travelling. Atticus has a passion for sailing and is currently part of the Australian Optimist Sailing Team. He recently represented Team Australia and competed at an international sailing regatta in Morocco. He sails in two classes - the International Optimist boat and a 29er skiff.

Atticus has fixed many bikes in the community in the past 1 year. He began helping the neighbours and then as he grew more confident, he allowed his mum to spread the word through the whole community. Soon enough, many cyclists from all over Point Cook began sending in their bikes for him to do a health check or repair. Many had thanked him for saving them time and money, and most importantly coaching them on how to maintain their bikes too.

When parents send in bikes for Atticus to repair, the little children followed along and they would listen and watch carefully as Atticus explain what was going on with their bikes. Their parents would use this opportunity to tell their kids how Atticus' volunteered time and effort that had allowed them to be able to get their bikes fixed, saved them a trip to a store and even saved a few hundreds of dollars. It is important that these young people see people of their own generation, of similar age group stepping up and forward to give their time and knowledge to benefit the community.

Atticus is self-taught and he had learnt plenty from reading and learning by observation. He also learns from plenty of online sources to understand the mechanism of bikes. His abilities to fix bikes benefitted the community directly as cycling is one of the most common hobby. Almost every household in Australia owns a bike and that could mean more landfills if they aren't well maintained.

Atticus is upright and useful to the society. He wants to gain knowledge in the areas that he is interested in and turn this learning to contribute directly to the community around him.

August - Keerthana Karthik

Keerthana Karthik

My name is Keerthana and I am, in essence, an average 15 year old. What sets me apart? My dedication. For example, my passion for the performing arts the performing arts has recently led me to being invited to teach a class at Blossom Community Care for people funded under the National Disability Insurance Scheme. From this position, I am able to inspire others to be the best they can, and develop skills that are useful in a variety of everyday situations.
I like to live religiously by the fact that a person can only keep improving, and it gives me comfort during moments of rejection and fuel as I try again. Feedback is the first thing I like to look for after I’ve finished something, so no matter what I do, I can do it better next time.

I volunteer tutor with Equal Ed, tutoring students from low SES backgrounds in western suburbs. I really hope I’ve made a positive impact in the kids’ lives in some way, whether working with them on an annoyingly difficult maths question or by playing games and helping them unwind from a tiring day.

I Manager a chapter of a newly established charity organisation called HealthCove that is primarily youth-led, planning plenty of events to run in the Wyndham area.

HealthCove focuses on achieving equity in public health by fundraising and raising awareness. Our past causes include breast cancer research, support for people with ovarian cancer, hospital equipment for children and autism awareness. I am very lucky to be in the position that I am and help others through the work I do.

I planned and organised an event for autism awareness called the Butterfly Relay with the help of some HealthCove members. It involved sponsored runners running laps to raise awareness and money, as well as a bake sale. We managed to surpass our goal and raise over $600 in both online and physical donations!

I study at Suzanne Cory High School and I am an active member of my school community in a number of ways:
- I am a school ambassador, which means I represent our school to the wider community during events, information evenings and school tours.
- I am part of a huge variety of music ensembles, performances and showcases, and represent my school at the State School Spectacular.
- I hold and participate in many fundraisers and awareness events for different causes, but primarily healthcare related ones.
- I am a diligent student, always striving to challenge myself and learn as much as I can in all of my subjects. I believe that has been reflected on my progress throughout the years, not only as a student but as a human being.

The first thought that comes to mind is music. The second is community. And to me, those two can be interchangeable. It’s a skill passed over generations, taught by one person to another.
I’ve seen how music builds community personally.

My family and I arrived in Australia with our life contained in 2 suitcases knowing no one here. My parents longed for a connection to people of our demographic who had been through similar experiences, something we found ourselves enveloped in as we joined an Indian community group in Wyndham. Every meeting was centred around the sounds of our heritage, families from every corner of India were able to be united under the warm and welcoming shelter of music. If that’s not community, what is?

I want to be a positive inspiration to every young person in my community who has a passion. For the longest time, I was scared of failing, a fear that crippled any motivation I had to follow my passion and it took me a while to grow beyond that fear, and sometimes I had to learn it the hard way. I use my experiences as evidence to the fact that even when it feels like your one misstep has caused your world to crumble around you, all you need is hope and a voice inside that tells you to keep trying. From the people I’ve tutored to students I’ve mentored, I convey the same message - every step forward you take is progress, and it should be celebrated.

I pride myself on my ability to problem solve - to identify a gap or a facility that could be improved upon, and gathering the feedback and resources required to achieve the improvement.
I also love being able to bring a room together to work on and create one thing, which is a leadership skill that I feel guides the purpose of a community.

I’d like to work in medical research, a field that brings forward so many of the crucial developments that doctors use to save lives, yet one that also overlooks the needs of minority patients. In the past, many studies that were the precedents for life-changing treatments were majorly focused on caucasian, cis-gender male patients, and as a result, several women, people of colour and gender non-conforming patients suffered side effects that were not thoroughly researched. This point is often skated over in medical history, and I’d like to be part of the change moving forward. Minority groups should not have to have a higher risk of dying due to a medical treatment just because clinical trials were not conducted on a population of enough genetic variance.

July Winner - Emily Leahy

July Winner - Emily Leahy

Em has made significant positive progress since her involvement with headspace. She successfully completed a course last year and is currently studying, attending the Youth Advisory Group and various activities with headspace. Em is also about to commence a week of volunteering within the Wyndham region.

Em completed Certificate 4 in Leisure and Health, and is currently completing Certificate 4 in Youth Work. Em has also worked at McDonald's in Wyndham.

Em has a history of employment in hospitality and child care. Current studies will hopefully lead to work in youth work to support youth in the Wyndham region.  

Em is most passionate about supporting young people and being in the outdoors.

Em is extremely adventurous and sporty, and enjoys keeping her mind and body active.

Em is currently involved with the youth advisory group as part of headspace which provides her with the opportunity and skills to contribute to the ongoing development of headspace services.

Em has the ability to interact well with other youth and enjoys teaching and learning from others within the community.

Em is easy going, enjoys meeting new people, she is open minded and always willing to learn and try her best at anything she puts her head to.

Em hopes to successfully complete her current course to enable her to work and support the youth of Wyndham.

June Winner - Akash Surujpal

June Winner - Akash Surujpal

Determined and pro-active, Akash Surujpal is a remarkable asset to the Wyndham community, who uses his talents towards the enrichment and benefit of our local community. With generosity and compassion at the forefront of his work, his demonstration of altruistic values, reinforces his commitment to those in the Wyndham community and wider Victoria.

As such, Akash draws from his own experiences, and adopts empathy to consider the experience of others, to tackle pressing issues in Australia, such as food and grocery insecurity.

A notable achievement of Akash’s was being awarded the 2022 ‘Lalor Hero’s Award’ by Joanne Ryan MP, through which he was recognised by members of the Australian Federal Government for contributions to the Heathdale Christian College community and Wyndham community. He was described as a “backbone of the community”, through his volunteering work.

In 2022, Akash commenced his first year as leader of the Heathdale Food Drive, after previously being involved within the team. His inaugural year of leading the initiative was met with roaring success as the team surpassed the previous food collection total from the previous years, with their total exceeding 1,175 donations. Aligned with the team’s goal of growing the success of the event, they undertook the impressive mission of engaging all the school’s campuses and cohorts. As forementioned, they were ultimately very successful in raising proceeds for Food Bank Victoria, who aid in tackling Victoria’s ever-growing issue food insecurity.

Akash was elected to serve as the 2021 Carey House Vice-Captain, alongside being an integral part of its core leadership team. As a part of these roles, he was responsible for the coordination of house-related activities, as well as other forward-facing responsibilities, such as hosting assemblies and leading house meetings. Further, in 2018, he was elected to represent his peers as the Class President. This program provided brilliant framework, which enabled him to develop his leadership, communication, and collaboration skills. Both these roles, cemented Akash’s position as a representative within his community, thus reinforcing his position in which he must be a role-model for others.

His other community involvements include starring in Heathdale’s 2022 Production of the Sound of Music, being a member of Carey’s winning choral team in 2021 & 2022 and participating in extra-curricular activities such as AusKick, cricket and karate.

In 2023, Akash commences his inaugural year of Air Force Cadets, in which he strives to serve his nation and his fellow ADF community. It is intended through this process, that qualities, such as initiative, leadership, discipline, and loyalty, will be fostered and strengthened.

Regarding voluntary work, Akash has helped as a junior volunteer, at Messy Church since 2017. This program has provided opportunities to connect and work members of the Wyndham community.

Akash’s passion for the theatre and musicals has enabled him to appreciate and understand profound concepts. Akash’s passion towards bridging the gap between those fortunate and those less fortunate, has provided the groundwork for his volunteering endeavours.

Akash aims to influence others to contribute in their own ways. Above all, Akash hopes that his work has contributed towards the betterment of his local community.

It is also noted that Akash’s efforts have encouraged friends and peers to advocate for issues that they are personally passionate about. Thus, fostering leadership and advocacy related values in the hearts of others, which in turn contributes to Wyndham’s inclusive, thriving community.

Alongside his communicational and organisational skills, he believes that these have provided him with a strong base for his leadership roles. Moreover, his team-related and problem-solving skills, have allowed for success in these forementioned endeavours.

On a personal level, Akash hopes that his efforts help to diversify and strengthen the community. He plans to continue his community-based work in the years to come. Furthermore, his career-orientated goals include successfully earning his Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and furthering his education at university

May Winner - Raidah Parvez

May Winner - Raidah Parvez

Please share your own bio/story which best describes why you should be the One Wyndham Young Person of the Month.
As a Muslim woman of colour, my cultural identity together with my experiences abroad, locally, and online have formed much of what I value. Despite growing up in a multicultural environment, I had noticed a lack of accurate multicultural representation and cultural awareness, in addition to the normalised use of microaggressions within daily conversations. Having first-hand experience with such injustices and watching those close to me experience it as well, has motivated me to value social justice and equity. Due to this, I have been volunteering with the council in ‘The Multicultural Committee’ to work together with other young people in our community from different cultural backgrounds to plan and host events for the community that aims to inform them of diverse cultural celebrations as well as the issues that multicultural youth face.

What is your community involvement and/or achievements?
I have been a volunteer in the Multicultural Committee, previously YAAA, since 2018. In the committee, I have been collaborating with other multicultural youth to advocate for a more inclusive and accepting community. Since joining the committee, I volunteered at the 2019 Harmony Day event and walked in traditional Bangladeshi clothing on the multicultural runway as well as helped plan school holiday events for multicultural youth. I also MC'd the 2022 Harmon Day event and Refugee Week event with my fellow committee members as well as the 2023 Harmony Day event this year. I also had the opportunity to speak at the 2022 Western Youth Forum where I advocated for access to sports for CALD communities. This year I look forward to representing Wyndham City Council in Youth Parliament.

Please tell us about your current studies, employment or voluntary work.
I am currently a second year university student studying social work and psychology. I chose to study social work as I understand it as a career that is concerned with social justice, human rights, and the inclusion of everyone in society, particularly working with marginalised or vulnerable individuals or groups and is a field of study that strongly aligns with my values.

What are you most passionate about?
I am most passionate about social justice, helping others and advocating for better and more equitable opportunities for everyone.

What positive community service have you contributed to?
Through the Multicultural Committee, I have contributed to creating an inclusive environment for different cultures and their traditions. Through the 2022 Harmony day event, where the theme of the event was climate change, we also raised awareness about environmental issues such as climate change and product wastage as well as raising awareness of financial barriers for CALD people in accessing sports facilities and teams in the Western Youth Forum.

How do you influence other young people within the community in a positive way?
Through various forums, events and conversations, I always advocate for embracing your own identity and embracing multiculturalism in Australia through which I hope to influence other young people to create a safe and inclusive environment throughout the community.

What are some of the skills or talents you have that could help contribute to an inclusive, thriving community?
As a creative person, I enjoy creating art and music. In my leisure time, I enjoy designing and creating various items through sewing, crocheting, henna and painting. Coming from a Bangladeshi background a lot of my art is influenced by South Asian as well as Western art styles. Through this, I contribute to creating a thriving and inclusive community by embracing my cultural identity through art and encouraging others to appreciate various styles of art from different cultures.

What are your hopes and dreams for your future?
In the future, I hope to help others less fortunate than I am and use my privilege to create better opportunities for others. I dream of working with others not only in Australia but across other countries to help create a more just and happy world.

 

April Winner - Meesha Pujitha Gunawardena

April Winner - Meesha Pujitha Gunawardena

Meesha is a motivated and empathetic individual and is passionate about making a positive difference in my community.

I am a volunteer with St Johns Ambulance. You may have seen me at such events as So Frenchy So Chic and Hamilton. I am committed to providing excellent healthcare in acute conditions and keeping patients calm during what can be stressful situations. In 2022 I was awarded the Wyndham division new member of the year award.

I also volunteer weekly with Monash Health medical centre as a ward ambassador where I provide conversation, make teas and coffees and ensure the general wellbeing of patients. It’s a two hour journey for me to travel to the medical centre but I find that the grateful smile on patients faces make it all worthwhile.

I am very passionate about the healthcare field, with a special interest in rural and Aboriginal health. I have just completed my bachelor of biomedical science at Monash university and am beginning my Master of Public health for two years. I hope that through my work in public health I can become a strong advocate for rural and Aboriginal health. In the meantime, I am also completing my Duke of Edinburgh Gold award through Outward Bound Australia which is a one year commitment.

I have mentored a VCE student from a disadvantaged background for a year. I was very proud of her achievements and was there to share my expertise as a mentor and provide her with encouragement and support. I found it very gratifying to share her journey and watch her progress. On one occasion we arranged for her to come onto campus and shadow me on my uni workshops. She was thrilled by how exciting university education could be!

During my Bachelor of Biomedical Science I was also on the student Academic Progress Council where I represented the interests of my fellow colleagues before a panel of Deans and lecturers. I was fortunate enough to be placed in a position to support students facing hardships during the course of their tertiary education. I worked hard to bring a fresh perspective to the table and highlight valuable points.

Last year I was fortunate enough to run educational workshops through the Hands on Health program. This initiative supports secondary school students from Indigenous, refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds to pursue a career in the health sciences. Through hands-on activities students are able to explore the health professions.

For two years I have been involved with the program Teddy Bear Hospital via Monash University. Through our programs we aim to reduce white coat anxiety" in young children and toddlers. We believe that doing so will help doctors to do their jobs more effectively and by doing so, improve the standard of care that children receive. We run educational programs in preschools and Montessoris that teach children what allergies are, what a balanced diet looks like and how to call 000 in cases of emergencies.

I also work with the not-for-profit organisation Needatutor to tutor students from indigenous and disadvantaged communities. As a first-generation migrant, another area of interest to me is educational inequality and I am dedicated and committed to fighting such inequities in our community and at large. I tutor grades 4 to 7 in English and Mathematics and I believe that these subjects are a stepping stone and a vital foundation for pursuing further study. Education is the "great equaliser" and I am strongly committed to ensuring that children from disadvantaged communities recieve an equal opportunity for a better future.

In my spare time I like to play tennis and keep generally active. I'm a big proponent of the saying "healthy body, healthy mind" and I take great pleasure in my long daily walks. It has been my life-long goal and dream to go to medical school and become a doctor so that I can continue my work in Aboriginal and rural health.

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