2025 Finalists

Amindi is a passionate young leader committed to social impact. As a member of Subiaco Youth Voice and secretary of Perth Modern’s Rotary Club, she advocates for youth and supports local causes. She volunteers at Stirling Markets and prepares meals for the Salvation Army. Through Seed of Hope, she delivers care bags to Perth’s homeless community. Amindi’s empathy, leadership, and dedication to service make her a powerful force for positive change.

Amy has overcome lack of opportunities and support to Co-president/Vice-president of a clean water nonprofit organisation through lived experience of this struggle herself, which has funded clean water access for 350+ families in Malawi. Alongside she has launched one national student opportunity platforms, and reform school leadership. She has held roles with Headspace, WA Youth Parliament, WAMUN, and Lions Club, driven to create accessible opportunities for youth.

Lily Gaulton is an 11-year-old disability advocate with cerebral palsy and autism. She advocates for accessibility in schools and venues, including lobbying her school to celebrate International Day of People with Disability. She contributed to the School Act Reform and participates in co-design projects to amplify youth access needs in education and public spaces.

Since moving to the Pilbara and starting distance education, Sofia has risen above school pressures and grown stronger. She now dedicates her time to supporting at-risk Indigenous youth. These experiences have shaped her purpose, built resilience, and sparked a fire to create real change.

Luke Sharp, 22, is a passionate Youth Jam contributor amplifying young voices through radio. From championing local projects to interviewing local heroes, Luke's creative efforts empower the next generation and inspire community connection. A true advocate for youth, he's now up for the Creative Contribution Award.

Rhea is from the Murchison Region, and they speak Badimaya, an endangered language which has inspired them to pursue linguistics at UWA in the hopes of preserving it. Rhea also writes music and runs a linguistics YouTube channel where they share their knowledge and passion for this fascinating, important discipline.

Ziva is a scholarship film maker in her final year at IDEAcademy, currently studying Cert III Film at TAFE. An award-winning writer, she now uses film to help others connect with their own experiences. Her debut short film, 'Are We Okay', won best International Short Film at VIYFF 2025. Her latest documentary, 'For the Love of Hockey', aims to celebrate the sport through player stories.

Nina Dakin is a comic-maker, writer and illustrator. She has won numerous comic awards including the Bronze Comic Art Award of Australia and the Best Australian Yarn Comic Award. Her work published in multiple comic anthologies, and she also runs workshops for libraries, local art groups, primary and high schools.

Benjamin is a passionate peer leader and aspiring educator who migrated from Chile to Perth with his family. Studying Health and Physical Education at Edith Cowan University, he brings his empathy, understanding, and energy to his role at Football Futures Foundation. He is also a lead coach in the Play It Forward and MiniRoos Multicultural Settlement Programs. Benjamin empowers young people through inclusive sport, fostering confidence, connection, and belonging in his community.

A dedicated, highly respected Special Needs EA and OT Assistant, Daisy is a passionate regional youth advocate. Daisy believes true leadership begins with listening, thriving when every voice is empowered. From Youth Premier to Youth Week Ambassador, Daisy's leadership is rooted in uplifting the voices of regional young people.

Starting her leadership journey at 11 as Junior Mayor of Mandurah, Lilijana is an engaged community leader with a diverse background in advisory roles and community initiatives. Since starting university at 15, Lilijana has worked towards her PhD in environmental DNA and founded the not-for-profit The Australian STEM Project.

Rachael is a 22-year-old intersectional Lived Experience advocate who wears many hats. Her work, driven by her values of dignity, compassion, determination, and authenticity, ranges from panels and committees to even founding her own movement, Integrity Initiative. If summarised in a single word, Rachael would - without question - be ‘fierce’.

Jeremiah is from Broome, Western Australia. He is working his second year on a cattle station. He enjoys spending time with family and helping people out where he is needed.

He encourages the younger generation around him to stand up and try new things, stay busy and find something they're passionate about.

University student and community engagement coordinator, Matilda works across Perth’s northern suburbs to empower young people through advocacy, peer support and volunteering. With lived experience and strong community values, she’s passionate about creating spaces where others can access the support, mentorship and opportunities that helped her thrive.

Rhiannon Clarke is a paralympian, university student and disability advocate. She mentors young para-athletes, champions inclusion and equity in sport, and uses her platform to raise awareness and change the narrative around invisible disabilities. Rhiannon is passionate about empowering the next generation to embrace who they are and chase their dreams.

Clare is a highly skilled youth worker with 10 years of experience supporting at-risk young people across diverse services. As leader of the safeSPACE™ program at Bunbury PCYC, Clare embeds a person centered, strengths-based approach. In the past 12 months alone, she has led safeSPACE™ to engage over 160 individuals, provide more than 4,200 meals, and deliver over 5,500 safe transports home. With 3,720 program attendances, Clare’s work has potentially prevented as many instances of young people being street-present and at risk. Her dedication earned her the  2024 Regional Youth Worker Award, and her passion and professionalism make her an integral leader in the youth sector.

Hana Smith, 22, a Youth Team Leader from Carnarvon, passionate about delivering engaging and memorable programs for local youth. In 2024, she received the Keep Australia Beautiful: Young Legends Award. Outside of work, she enjoys camping at the beach and spending time with her family and dogs.

Janelle is a dedicated youth worker with 20 years' experience supporting young people across residential and education settings. Her passion lies in creating initiatives emphasising community and cultural support, fostering connection and confidence.

Janelle has a Bachelor of Psychology (Professional Youth Work major) and is completing Bachelor of Psychology (Honours).

Starting at 18, Jaydan has led youth music programs nationwide—including in Don Dale Youth Prison—and worked with organisations like WAYJO, YARN, and Abmusic. Now Senior Aboriginal Youth Coordinator at Edmund Rice Centre WA, he runs four free weekly programs, empowering youth through culture, leadership, and creative expression.

Starting her leadership journey at 11 as Junior Mayor of Mandurah, Lilijana is an engaged community leader with a diverse background in advisory roles and community initiatives. Since starting university at 15, Lilijana has worked towards her PhD in environmental DNA and founded the not-for-profit The Australian STEM Project.

Reece is a passionate advocate for young people experiencing homelessness, ensuring their needs are valued and supported by both the sector and Government. As Project Support Officer for the HOME Project, a Youth Homelessness Advisory Council member, and a lived-experience representative on the WAAEH Steering Group, Reece advocates systemic change. They have organised grassroots initiatives, coordinated essential support for rough sleepers, and empowered marginalised communities through peer support and activism. Drawing on lived experience and qualifications in Community Services, Psychology, Criminology, and Justice. Reece challenges outdated perceptions of homelessness.

Will is the founder of Youth Leadership Academy Australia, a national platform empowering over 50,000 young people each year through leadership, advocacy, and entrepreneurship education, regional access, and youth engagement, driven by a belief in youth-led solutions. His work spans local, state, and national levels, motivated by lived experience and a passion for purpose-driven leadership, aiming to reframe how Australia supports its next generation of change-makers.

Zoe Cornelius is a passionate Western Australian volunteer serving as Chief Operating Officer for What Were You Wearing? Australia. At 22, she coordinates a volunteer team of over 80 people, drives national advocacy, and champions awareness campaigns and healing groups. Her efforts helped stage one of Perth’s largest anti-violence rallies and shape community awareness.

Fish is a passionate advocate for young carers and inclusive youth leader. As a Carers WA Youth Advisory Group member, they champion policy change, accessible resources, and authentic support for young carers. Through the Rockingham Youth Centre and Reference Group, Fish helps create welcoming spaces, plans youth events, and supports intergenerational programs. Their volunteer work reduces isolation, fosters belonging, and promotes stronger community connections for young people, carers, and marginalised peer alike.

Despite facing family separation, caring responsibilities, and personal challenges including anxiety and ADHD, Maddison completed Year 12 and now cares for her mum. At 18, she aspires to be a secondary school English teacher, is enrolled in a university bridging course, and engages with support services, demonstrating resilience, empathy, and determination to inspire future generations.

Queenstel is a dedicated young carer for her mother, balancing caring responsibilities with academic excellence at Cecil Andrews College. She has received the 2025 Harding Millar Scholar, and demonstrates motivation and resilience despite socio-economic hardship. Queenstel showed help seeking initiative by accessing young carer support through the young carer program for her education and sporting goals. She continues to pursue her passion for voleyball, and was selected for the WA Volleyball Junior League, earning praise for her commitment and positive nature.

Integrity Initiative is a youth-led, Lived Experience-grounded movement to cultivate autonomy, dignity and human rights in mental health conversations and care through its work with people experiencing mental health challenges, those providing care, and broader communities. Core programs range from care packages and resources to workshops, community events and beyond.

The Student Alliance 4 Inclusion (SA4I), founded by Laura Panetta and Ruby Habib, is a student-led organisation amplifying the voices of students with disability and driving inclusive education reform in WA. Along with Matilda Philipson's integral contribution, SA4I aims to ensure that young people have their voices heard in their education and fill the gap between disabled student voice and education systems. Their community initiatives, Guide for Inclusive Schools and partnerships with disability and youth organisations extend their impact, keeping inclusive education a youth-driven, evolving priority for the future.

Youth Parliament is a youth-led, nonpartisan program empowering Western Australians aged 15-25 to represent their communities, draft legislation, and debate real issues in State Parliament. Founded in 1995, it builds skills in public speaking, critical thinking, and leadership. Guided by passionate alumni, Youth Parliament has shaped key state legislation and policy, including environmental reforms and cyber safety laws, ensuring young voices influence WA's future in meaningful, inclusive ways.

The Youth Disability Advocacy Network (YDAN) is Western Australia’s leading advocacy body for young people with disability. YDAN was established to represent the often-forgotten voices of young people with disability in decision making platforms. As a Disabled People’s Organisation, with 98% of staff and volunteers being people with disability and 83% being young people with disability, YDAN is by and for young people with disability. YDAN runs free programs to support young people with disability to self-advocate, build connections & gain employment. YDAN works to build sector capacity and create systemic change, having delivered 150+ workshops to over 10,000 professionals and improved access for over 250,000 people through experiential audits, ensuring authentic representation, sector change, and greater inclusion across WA.

The Youth Street Health program was developed in partnership with Homeless Healthcare, Street Connect – Anglicare WA, and Passages Youth Engagement Hub – Vinnies WA. It provides young people access primary healthcare and psychosocial support, both from the Hub and in the community, through a multidisciplinary assertive outreach model, that is person-centred, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate.

Home Safe, part of the long-standing Youth at Risk Strategy, is a multi-agency response supporting at-risk youth in Perth’s CBD/Northbridge. Through culturally safe, trauma-informed outreach, it diverts young people from custody, connects them to support, returns them to a safe location, and strengthens community safety through early intervention and collaborative, youth-informed care.

In a first, the trio formed a cross-organisation team and enrolled for ThirdStory’s 8-month Design Academy 2024, which kicked off in February. Since then, their project has grown into an impactful movement, a collaboration which spans the whole youth homelessness system. It has resulted in the formation of a Youth Rough Sleepers Coordination Group in April 2025.The project is also making strides in the collection and application of data and evidence, and Housing First advocacy for children and young people.

The Equestrian Youth Engagement Service (EYES) was born out of a need to find innovative ways to support justice involved young people to re-imagine themselves living positive hopeful lives, connected and contributing to community. EYES uses multiple behaviour change elements including equine facilitated interventions, cultural mentorship and strong support from the WA Equestrian industry to help young people re-engage with education, undertake work experience, gain employment and divert them from criminal activity and early school disengagement.

Ciara is a reporter for Sky News in Perth. Her piece highlighted the stress being experienced by the First Nations youth in WA’s Pilbara region. Advocates say ancient family history and generational stories are under threat due to ongoing operations at a nearby gas plant, the North West Shelf.

In Jack's final year of study, majoring in Journalism, he has worked on a range of stories from why animals glow to new innovative plastic developments at Murdoch. Earlier this year, he worked on election coverage for the electorate of Tangney for the Junction and was invited to the Greens after-party.

Millie Kolomyjec is a passionate storyteller and creative strategist dedicated to using media as a tool for impact and inclusion. She began her journey as a Media Mentor on The Periscope Crew, a film crew for people with disabilities, empowering underrepresented voices to share their stories through film. Her commitment to meaningful storytelling led her to become a Media Officer for the World Transplant Games, capturing powerful narratives of resilience and global connection.

Millie also worked as a Video Assistant on Everywhere, a documentary that followed the World Transplant Games and highlighted the intersection of sport, disability, and human strength. These experiences cemented her belief that great marketing is rooted in authentic storytelling.

Today, she is the founder of Koda Collective, a people-focused storytelling agency on a mission to change the way society sells — by putting stories first.