In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Catelyn Richards - 2023 TAS Young Achiever Awards Finalist - St.LukesHealth Healthier Communities Award. Catelyn is a proud Registered Nurse and co-founding director of Climate Action Nurses. She has been a co-contributor to 12 peer-reviewed publications through her work in the Monash University Wound Research Team and the Climate and Health Alliance. As a 2022 Westpac Future Leader’s scholar, Catelyn is passionate about delivering sustainable and equitable healthcare for all Tasmanians.

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Louise Mathieson - 2023 NSWCAA Community Achievement Awards, Winner - Konica Minolta Customer Service Award. The Administration Agency of Dubbo is empowering businesses and fostering sustainable growth. The Administration Agency, formerly Performance PA, was founded by Louise Mathieson. Starting as a Virtual Assistant in 2019, Louise's journey led to the creation of a one-stop shop for small business administration. Her commitment to exceptional customer service and collaboration, from initial interaction to off-boarding, sets her apart Louise and her team handle tasks efficiently, from archiving emails to raising over $80,000 for a not-for-profit. They prioritise client feedback, ensuring every interaction exceeds expectations. Beyond business success, Louise sponsors local events like the Vinnies CEO Winter Sleepout, embodying her dedication to the community.

In this week’s episode, Geoff chats with Ashleigh Mounser - 2023 NSWYAA 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards, Semi Finalist - Western Sydney University Academic Achievement Award. Ashleigh Mounser is an Australian writer who has been published across print and media. In 2016, Mounser graduated as a Deans Scholar with a Bachelor of Creative Writing from the University of Wollongong and later completed a Graduate Certificate in Screenwriting at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School. She was Sydney Morning Herald’s Young Writer of the Year in 2012; the overall winner of the Future Leaders Writing Competition, winner of the ‘Time to Write’ contest conducted by the University of Melbourne and recipient of three arts grants from the Bouddi Foundation for the Arts, presented by John Bell. Her debut feature film QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS premiered at festivals across Europe, America and South Africa and has received numerous laurels. Her first children's novel, HOW TO BE COOLER THAN THE MOON, was released October 1st, 2023.

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Annabel Hay – finalist of 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards NSW/ACT - Off Trail Coffee Small Business Achievement Award 2023. CLUTCH Glue, founded by determined entrepreneur Annabel Hay, addresses the shortcomings of traditional fashion tape with a water-soluble clothing adhesive. Annabel's frustration with existing options led her to develop CLUTCH over four years, balancing it with a demanding full-time job. Collaborating with a freelance chemist, she created a patentable, water-soluble, vegan, and hypoallergenic adhesive. Manufactured sustainably in Sydney, CLUTCH quickly gained popularity after its December 2022 launch, with orders worldwide. Annabel's focus extends beyond product innovation, advocating for fashion inclusivity and environmental sustainability. The brand's rapid success is evident through global media recognition, influencer endorsements, and interest from major retailers. Annabel, leveraging her background in Construction Management, collaborated with a freelance chemist from UNSW to create CLUTCH, revolutionizing the stagnant fashion adhesive market with a patent-pending, eco-friendly solution. CLUTCH's innovative formula, boasting serious strength and sustainability features like being vegan, palm-oil free, and packaged with 100% recycled materials, has empowered individuals worldwide to confidently wear their clothes.

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Mina Skandari,Finalist – 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards NSW/ACT. Spirit Super Connecting Communities Award 2023. Mina has founded SKANDARI FOUNDATION, which is all about creating community connections, Unity and diversity. She is very compassionate, caring and selfless, Mina has distributed many hampers and food packages to homeless people, disability pensioners and many other people struggling during tough times. Mina is also a childrens author, she has written a book “YOU ARE AMAZING AND UNIQUE IN THE WAY YOU ARE” the book is filled with positive affirmations concerning mental health, self love and about accepting your differences. Mina is also a mother of 2 who recently graduated from university (3 months ago) with a bachelor of social science majoring in criminology. Mina also works full time and does a lot of community service / volunteer work. She has been involved in organising multicultural festivals with Multicultural Society Of Campbelltown, she arranged the young championships awards for Macarthur, her dedication commitment and selfless act for her community is special and she deserves recognition for always putting her community first despite her busy life schedule. Mina has achieved so much despite being a refugee from Afghanistan and coming to Australia when she was only 9 years old. Despite the war and trauma she has achieved so much and followed her dream/goal which is to help people and especially those who are struggling.

In this week’s episode, Geoff chats with Jazmyn Smith, Winner – 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards QLD. Queensland Small Business Commissioner's Small Business Achiever Award 2023. Jazmyn has made strides in the Australian Music Industry within the first three years of her career, with a diverse array of clients ranging from Murray Cook and Lee Kernaghan to Hayley Marsten and Melody Moko. 2023 saw Jazmyn receive Channel 7’s Small Business of the Year award for Queensland for her music media company, Jazmyn Produces. At just 28, Jazmyn is a self-taught filmmaker and photographer and has travelled across Australia, New Zealand, and America for her creative endeavours. She employs young regional creatives in her hometown of Gympie as production assistants, giving them the opportunity to work in both the arts and the music industry. Jazmyn also runs a sister brand, Calamity Jane Music Management, where she has worked extensively with artists from Murray Cook to Vixens of Fall, supporting them with social media management, content creation, press, fundraising, and marketing efforts. Jazmyn has been recently shortlisted for ABC's Trail Blazers program, which would see Jazmyn and her team travel to Canberra to address Parliament House. Jazmyn is a single mother, a member of the LGBTQ community, and has found her success despite trying beginnings, including moving out of home at just 15 to a women's shelter, and independently putting herself through the completion of high school, graduating with a scholarship to Griffith University.

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Angelique Wan, Winner of the Spirit Super Create Change Award in the 2022 NSW/ACT 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards and she was the Young Achiever of the Year 2022 of NSW/ACT 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards. Angelique Wan – CEO of Consent Labs, 24 of Surry Hills co-founded a non-profit that revolutionizes the discussion around sexual consent. From 2016 to 2018, Angelique and her co-founder focused on developing an evidence-based program, consulted and built relationships with experts, and conducted focus group discussions for market research. In 2021, she left her corporate job to work full-time for Consent Labs. They have since reached 10,000 students and parents across Australia. This year, Consent Labs is spearheading a sector wide campaign - Charity Cringle - aiming to divert just 1% of the unused Christmas Cringle spend to charities.

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Amelia Ayris, was a winner in the Spirit Super Connecting Communities Award in the 2022 Queensland 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards. She is a 16 years old high school student passionate about Child Safety. From the age of 2 years, she started performing within the Entertainment Industry. She has worked in Film, TV, Professional Theatre, Modelling, and Singing. By the age of 10 she had an acting manager in Los Angeles, and at 13 years, she got her first Visa (Entertainer of Extraordinary Ability) approved to work in the US. Her growing profile gave her the platform to represent her peers in child safety, and her commitment and passion continues to grow. Some of her achievements include: # The Youth Ambassador for Bravehearts # A member of the Bravehearts Youth Advisory Council. # Generation Z representative and speaker at the 2021 National Child Protection Forum in Darwin # Producer and Writer of award winning short film Short Sleeves about teen self harm # Raising Awareness of Child Sexual Assault through interviews and speeches # Assistance in fundraising events for Bravehearts # Called to Queensland State Parliament House to importance of Child Safety within the Domestic and Family Violence Protection (Combating Coercive Control) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022. She aspires to study Law and Politics at University when I graduate high school.

In this week’s episode, Geoff chats with David Titeu, was a finalist of the National Protective Services Safety and Wellbeing in the Workplace Award and a finalist in the First National Leadership Award in the 2023 Victorian7NEWS Young Achiever Awards. He is a mental health advocate and social entrepreneur, devoted to creating solutions that promote holistic well-being. Also, a speaker, coach, and founder with a passion for empowering humans to embrace their unique voices and redefine vulnerability as a strength. David Titeu is the founder of Linkmate, a social enterprise devoted to proactive emotional support. David and his team implement initiatives that foster a psychologically safe environment at work. These include displaying radical candour and vulnerability for deep collaboration; learning and development initiatives co-designed with leading experts to explore intersections of mental health; and an interconnected network of peer support, breeding empathy and companionship - or “Mateship”.

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Nargis Mardani, a member of the Future Leaders Advocacy Group and QPASTT’s Youth Voice and was a finalist of Soroptimist International Women Empowering Others Award in the 2023 Queensland 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards. She has actively participated in a wide range of community activities spanning various sectors, driven by a profound passion for community advocacy and affecting positive change. Her involvement has been extensive and diverse, including membership in the Future Leaders Advocacy Group and QPASTT’s Youth Voice. Moreover, she took the initiative to organize the 2022 Hazara Genocide Rally in Brisbane, aimed at raising awareness about the issue. To educate and inspire the younger generation, she visited primary schools on the Gold Coast to share her refugee experience. Additionally, she has been privileged to serve as a guest speaker on the Women’s Resilience Panel and as an organiser and Master of Ceremonies for the Youth Voice Cultural Night. Her commitment to education led her to participate in Government Round Tables for Education and previously part of the Interact group during her high school years in 2021. Furthermore, she has actively contributed to various fundraisers and worked as a Cultural Support worker with Multicultural Australia, providing vital support to newly arrived Afghan families and youth during the resettlement process. These experiences have been profoundly rewarding, allowing her to make a tangible difference in the lives of others and strengthening the sense of community.

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Sean Guy, a member of the Darwin Theatre Company board and was the winner of McDonald's NT Career Achievement Award in the 2023 Northern Territory Young Achiever Awards. Sean Guy has been working at the Bookshop Darwin for over eleven years. In his time there, he has demonstrated creativity, innovation, and a genuine passion to support and engage with the community. In his career as an author/playwright, he has written four successful books, joined the Darwin Theatre Company board, and had plays performed around the country.

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Heimy Molina, a committee member for Young Engineers Australia who was a Finalist of the Western Sydney University Academic Achievement Awardin the 2023 7News Young Achiever Awards – NSW/ ACT. Heimy Molina, completed her Engineering (Honours) with a First-Class Honours Award and University Medal, majoring in Civil Engineering. She is a consistent Dean’s Merit Lister and awardee of the Vice Chancellor’s Excellence Award, Women in STEM Education Champion, and Emerging Designer of the Year. Heimy is a committee member for Young Engineers Australia and has been featured in talks (in schools and universities) seminars, podcasts, articles, and panels to talk about female empowerment in STEM.

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Lindsey Dang, CEO of Lindsey’s VCE Tutoring who was the Winner of the Strategic Alliance Network Small Business Award in the Community Award at the 2023 7News Young Achiever Awards Victoria. Linsey Dang founded Lindsey's VCE Tutoring at the age of 19 after developing her skills from the ground up in her personal studies. She moved to Australia by herself before turning 16, and immediately fell in love with English Literature and the Humanities (despite that English was not her first language) - subjects that are not ordinarily prioritized in the Vietnamese STEM-centric curriculum. Lindsey's VCE Tutoring is a boutique VCE English tutoring company that focuses on ensuring that their students don’t study for the sake of studying, but to be critical thinkers, to grow through reading writing, and creating; the essential skills to keep up with an ever-changing world. We believe in specialist tutoring and advocate for personalized education.

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Fiona Sanford, CEO of Flourish Girl who was the Winner of the Victorian Government Group Achievement in the Community Award at the 2023 7News Young Achiever Awards Victoria. Flourish Girl is helping build self-confidence, self-awareness and social connectedness. Flourish Girl is a preventative mental health and emotional intelligence charity. They deliver rites of passage programs to teenage girls and gender-diverse teens aged 13 to 18 years old. Since 2018, Flourish Girl has worked with over 12,500 teens across 84 schools. They delivered close to 150 workshops in 2022 alone.

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Conor Pall, winner of the Spirit Super Connecting Communities Award at the 2022 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards Victoria. Conor is a young person shaking up the family violence system, determined to use his lived experience as a male survivor, to drive change that matters in Victoria. He is youngest member to be appointed to the Victorian Victim Survivor's Advisory Council, using his experiences to influence change in the way children and young people are seen as victim-survivors in their own right. Conor talks about his debut children’s book, The Shadow that Follows, which describes the shadow of family violence that can follow a child everywhere and impacts all aspects of their lives but is often not visible to others. He is passionate about primary prevention and early intervention, and sees his book as one day working alongside programs in schools like Respectful Relationships.

In this week’s episode, Geoff chats with Kate Howard & Emma Murray from Hub Gymnastics, winners of the 2022 Woolworths Community Group of the Year Award at the South Australian Community Achievement Awards. Hub Gymnastics Club was established in 1985 by a group of volunteers to run a recreation gymnastics program. The Club has since embarked on delivering new programs for the community, allowing families access to professionally run classes with highly skilled coaches. They also offer school holiday gymnastics, after-school, and in-lesson gymnastics programs. Hub Gymnastics continues to increase participation of girls and boys from the age of 1 and now has around 750 members, with about 350 children on waitlist! The Club prides itself on being an inclusive and welcoming family-based Club that provides high quality programs. Kate and Emma also talk about the way Hub Gymnastics achieves sustainability as a community club, by valuing the development and progression of athletes, who may have grown up at the club, to highly skilled coaches that can now remain active within both the club and the sport. 

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Bianca-Jaye Mazzuchelli, finalist of the Spirit Super Create Change Award at the 2023 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards Victoria. Bianca is a proud Gunditjmara woman who is currently studying her undergraduate degree in Psychological Science. She talks about the development of Auditory Sensory Prevention Technology (ASPT), which is an earpiece that emits white noise and is designed to help children and adults who are neurodiverse, to combat challenges they may face in social settings due to sound sensitivity. In 2022 her ASPT start-up won the Swinburn Venture Cup. “I believe that it's a human right for every child to have a friend”

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Isabella Dewar who was the Winner of the Spirit Super Connecting Communities Award at the 2023 Tasmanian Young Achiever Awards. Isabella began her martial arts journey when she joined a karate class at the age of 4 and by 14, she had earned her black belt. Through karate, Isabella has learnt not just the physical skills of self-defence, but also mindfulness, discipline, and a feeling of empowerment that has helped her overcome bullying. At 16, she is now a certified karate instructor and runs free self-defence classes and empowerment programs to kids and adults who have experienced bullying. Isabella is a carer for her mum and she was recently appointed as the youngest member of the Minister’s Carer Advisory Council that provides advice, information and insights about issues affecting carers to assist in the development and delivery of informed, effective and evidence-based policy, programs and projects to support and recognise unpaid carers. She hopes to use her voice and lived experience to advocate for supports for other young people juggling school and caring responsibilities. “I think all young people, if they have something to say, should be saying it, because if we want to make change in the world, we have to listen to everybody’s ideas”

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Paige Horrigan who was the Winner of the Spirit Super Create Change Award at the 2022 Northern Territory Young Achiever of the Year. In 2019, Paige was the victim of a hate-motivated assault while at school and no one was held accountable. This sparked their passion to highlight LGBTQIA+ issues and create positive change for queer young people in the Palmerston and surrounding communities. They have worked for organisations like Rainbow Territory to help in the fight against discriminatory legislation and advocated for the creation of safe spaces dedicated to LGBTQIA+ young people. “People need to step up and speak up” “I'm proud to be an LGBTQ person, and I'm proud to be an active member in the community. I wish there was things we didn't have to fight for. I wish it was just basic human rights, that we had the same as everyone else. But just because of our gender identity or our sexual identity, it means we have to work harder to be respected or have the same rights as others”

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Harrison James who was the Winner of the 2023 Spirit Super Connecting Communities Award at the 7News Young Achiever Awards for NSW & ACT. *Content Warning* This episode includes a discussion about child sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised. Harrison James is a survivor of child sexual abuse and is now an advocate for other survivors. He was the co-founder of the Your Reference Ain’t Relevant campaign that is petitioning to the NSW government to remove the provision of character references for perpetrators of child sexual abuse in the sentencing procedure. Harrison was also a key collaborator for Safe Sounds, Australia’s first sexual assault awareness music festival.

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Neeka Zand who was the winner of the 2023 Spirit Super Connecting Communities Award at the 7News Young Achiever Awards in Western Australia. Neeka is the daughter of Iranian political refugees, and through her upbringing she has become passionate about ensuring equitable access to appropriate well-being support. She has a background in Psychology and Business and is currently the Youth Advocate on the Menal Health Commission’s Multicultural Committee. She aims to amplify the voices of young people and people from multicultural communities, in the mental health space, and reduce the stigma that can still exist around mental ill health. After a personal experience speaking with a young person at risk, Neeka led the development of Right By You; a youth peer-to-peer suicide prevention website to help young people develop the skills and confidence to respond and help a friend in need.

In this week’s episode, Geoff chats with Dr Ramesh from the South West Indian Group who were the winners of the 2022 Woolworths Community Group of the Year Award at the WA Community Achievement Awards. Dr Ramesh was born in the small streets of Chennai, Tamil Nadu South India. He qualified as a doctor from Stanley medical college in India and did postgraduate training in the UK and Australia. He has been actively involved in community support programs, charitable activities and cricket. His passion is to promote multiculturalism, harmony, happiness and peace. Along with a small team, he formed the South West Indian Group (SWIG) in Bunbury WA which shared his passion and vision: Breaking Barriers, Bridging Cultures. South West Indian Group (SWIG ) is a not-for-profit community volunteer group promoting harmony, wellness, and unity through their Indian themed events and various fundraising and community efforts. During the Covid 19 pandemic, SWIG campaigned for ventilators in India. SWIG events contribute towards education for girls living in poverty as well as Aboriginal communities. SWIG, in collaboration with City of Bunbury Council, planted 260 seedlings on World Environment Day on the 5th June 2022.

In this week’s episode, Josh chats with Shannon and Zane from City of Marion’s Youth Collective Committee who were the 2023 winners of the Spirit Super Connecting Communities Award at the 7News Young Achiever Awards in South Australia. City of Marion’s Youth Collective Committee, or YCC, is group of young people selected to represent the views and values of young people in the City of Marion. They aim to work with Council on issues, topics and concerns that are important to the young people in their local Council area. Their vision is to work on issues such as safety and security, mental health, the environment, arts and music, education and technology. They also work to provide a unique perspective on Council issues, whilst also gaining important skills, learning about local government and youth specific issues. Since beginning in 2019, the YCC have held an Esports tournament, Battle of the Bands, planting of a native garden, a music event at the Capella Skate Park opening and more. Shannon Swart, the youth worker facilitating the program was 22 when the YCC began and has been with the program since the beginning. Zane LeBlond is the current chairperson of the YCC for 2023.

In this week’s episode, Josh is talking to Claire & Kate from Hoedowns For Country Towns. They were winners in the 2023 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards, QLD Hoedowns for Country Towns - Claire Harris and Kate Strong embarked on a bootscooting road trip around Australia in 2022 teaching line dancing, putting events back on the calendar for rural communities, and raising money for seven rural charities. Across nine months, the duo ran 75 hoedowns in halls, pubs, schools, outback stations and everything in between, danced with nearly 3,000 people from all walks of life, and raised $38,250.

Whilst we are busy interstate at the Community Achievement Awards Gala Dinners, we thought we would provide you with a flashback to Episode 86, with Victoria Pham 

In this week’s episode, Josh is talking to Taylah who was a Finalist in the 2022 Northern Territory Young Achiever Awards. My name is Taylah King and I am 26 years of age. I'm currently working as a chef in Far North Queensland. My ultimate goal as a chef is to inspire and train the next generation of young chefs. To show them that hospitality is one of the best industries to be in and it's never too late to chase your dreams. My biggest achievement so far is being a finalist in both the NT Training Awards and NT Young Achievers and Top 10 finalist in Nestlé. Tayla was a kitchen team member at Phat Mango and is now a chef at the Townsville RAAF Base. In 2020, she started the discussion about Cupcake Day, which resulted in the Darwin Convention Centre donating 200 cupcakes to an RSPCA fundraiser. She has hosted a master cooking class for students. Taylah made the top 10 finalists of the Golden Chefs Awards, representing NT. She was a 2021 International Women’s Day NT representative.

In this week’s episode, Geoff is talking who is representing George Town Council, winner of the Get Moving Tasmania Physical Activity Award in the 2022 Tasmanian Community Achievement Awards. Ever since I was a little boy, I have always loved sport and recreation. Master of business (Sport management) - Deakin University (Received a scholarship) Bachelor of business management (Distinction) Worked for the State Sport Centres Trust that managed the Melbourne Sports and Aquatics centre, lakeside Stadium, and state netball and hockey centre in Melbourne, before moving to Tasmania to work for the George Town Council as a Community Officer for Sport, Recreation, Events, Health and Wellbeing. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to make a difference, and help grow a community. I am very passionate about working towards providing a platform to the people of a community that lack opportunities that they deserve. Utilising my knowledge, skill and experience in making someone else's life better is what keeps me going. Apart from my professional career, I play cricket for the Greater Northern Raiders, which represent Northern Tasmania in the State League. A good cappuccino along with an almond croissant is my simple pleasure.

In this week’s episode, Geoff is talking to Ashley Watt from Why Leave Town Promotions who was a Winner in the 2021 Community Achievement Awards for Regional NSW & the ACT. Why Leave Town Promotions of Narrabri is encouraging people to ‘Shop Local’. Why Leave Town Promotions (WLT) offers community gift cards that use a ‘closed loop’ technology that ensures dollars stay local. The WLT Community Gift Card can be purchased at local ‘load up’ points or online and can only be spent back on participating local businesses. WLT works with over 60 communities across Australia and has created a website, Shop Local Hub. In 2018, the gift cards were used by organisations to distribute funds raised to support farmers and others in need during the drought. To date, WLT has helped keep over $12m in local communities.

In this week’s episode, Stephanie Lenehan is talking to Steffi Patience who was a Winner in the 2018 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards for Victoria. 29yr old female. Born in Stawell Victoria. Winner of the 2015 City of Ballarat Youth Award (18-25 division) & the 2018 VYAA Regional & Rural Health Award (sponsored by the Royal Flying Doctor Service). Author of the Young Adult Fiction books "The Unexpected" (published in 2016) & "Sahara the Forgotten Desert Princess" (published earlier this year). Mental Health Volunteer in multiple fields, primarily suicide prevention. Was homeless for a few years, even during volunteer work & winning the Ballarat Youth Award.

In this week’s episode, Geoff is talking to Steve Pearce from the Glen Innes & District Historical Society who was a Winner in the 2021 Community Achievement Awards for Regional NSW & the ACT. Semi-retired. Originally from 'Old' South Wales; in Australia over 40yrs; living in Glen Innes 4.5yrs - moved from Melbourne to take up a volunteer position at the Land of the Beardies Museum. Many different previous occupations, including visitor services for Western Australia Museum (Fremantle & Perth); also worked for a national conservation organisation whilst based in WA; passion for history and the natural environment. Glen Innes & District Historical Society Inc. has been serving as the proper custodian of the cultural heritage of the Glen Innes & District community since 1968. The Historical Society functions as a community chronicle, recording and informing successive generations through artefacts, documents and records at the Land of the Beardies Museum History House Museum and Research Centre. The Land of the Beardies occupies the former Glen Innes & District Hospital, which is listed as a heritage building. Over the past three years, the Society has been actively engaged in repairing and refurbishing the buildings, storage facilities and display areas. The Society has 255 members.

My name is Siobhan. I'm 13 and I'm the founder and owner of Our Pixie Friends. I was born at 27 weeks - that's 3 months early! I weighed 843g and I was being resuscitated 3-4 times a day until I had open heart surgery when I was about 1 month old. As a consequence, I have a range of medical conditions, including bowel/bladder dysfunction, sensory processing disorder (dyspraxia) and NVLD - Nonverbal Learning Disorder. I also have allergies, anaphylaxis, eczema, asthma, and surprise, surprise- Generalised Anxiety Disorder! I have also experienced PTSD, depression/obsessive thoughts and had suicidal tendencies after some medication. I used to think, "Why am I the only kid with all this?" I'd get upset when other kids didn't want to hold my hand in line, or their parents wouldn't invite me over because they were afraid I'd have a medical emergency. When I was 6, I realised I wasn't the only kid in the world with medical conditions and I decided I would start a business to help other kids not feel alone and isolated, and encourage other kids to be kind and inclusive. That's when Our Pixie Friends was born. On a trip to the allergist for another round of scary skin prick testing, I brainstormed all my ideas, and by the time I came home, I had an outline of my website, ideas for books and merchandise, and a dream of raising $1 million for medical research and one day having my pixie characters in ambulances so kids experiencing trauma have one of Our Pixie Friends with them. Mum didn't know how to help me, so she just encouraged me to write my ideas down. It wasn't until I was 10 that I finally met a wonderful lady, Sharron Pountney from SLP Consulting, who said she would help me. She registered my companies when I was 10. In July last year, phase one of my website was launched (and I was notified that the character blogs on the website would be added to the Radio Lollipop global playlist for kids in hospital all over the world) and my first book was published. I have 2 more books coming out this year, and I have been working with a haematologist at the Sydney Children's Hospital to develop a pixie with a bleeding disorder (who should be appearing on the website soon). I have also been invited to a number of speaking events including author talks and creative character development workshops at schools, the YES Summit, where I was on the panel to help over 400 high school students and I will be speaking at a Redlands Women in Business event in September. But the best part of my life is when I have an impact on young children. I love seeing their faces light up and hearing how my ideas are helping them.

In this week’s episode, Geoff is talking to Sunny Liu who was a Winner in the 2021 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards for Victoria. Sunny Liu passionately serves the local and international communities in Darwin. Sunny is the Vice-Chair of Kindness Shake Inc., a charity that has handed out over 6,000 free meals, assisted 800 individuals and raised more than $200,000 in grants and donations. An international student, she is also a committee member of the Multicultural Council NT and 2022 Youth Advisory Group at Headspace Darwin.

Shania became the first Regional Female Aboriginal Youth Governor of South Australia in 2022. In 2021, she joined the Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation Committee, where she helped create the Youth Justice Bill (Age of Criminal Capability) as assistant manager and main sponsor for debating the bill in the Legislative Council. Shania is currently organising the Youth Parliament Program of 2022 for SA. Shania was a Finalist in the SA Young Achiever Awards Multicultural Youth South Australia Spirit of Resilience Award.

Independent Living Care is an (NDIS) provider that supports people living with mental health difficulties and disabilities throughout Adelaide in transforming their lives into ones filled with enthusiasm and purpose. Independent living care is a devoted and passionate team that organises a variety of services including day programmes, supported independent living, mentorship, counselling, in-home help and hosting a number of respites throughout Australia.. Independent Living Care aims to promote that everyone has a right to live and work towards a self-actualized fulfilling life through the holistic, inclusive approach taken Independent Living Care. Benigne was a nominee in the SA Young Achiever Awards Western Sydney University Academic Achievement Award.

In this week’s episode, Josh is talking to Pallavi Verma who was a Semi-Finalist in the 2022 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards for New South Wales. Currently working as a Senior IT Consultant, Pallavi is a gold medallist in Bachelor of Computer Applications who started her journey in Australia as an international student in 2017. She is a high achiever who had also been awarded ‘Wg. Cdr. H S Gill Memorial Gold Medal’, for being the best all round student of her cohort, by PCTE Group of Institutes. Recently, Pallavi has also been awarded a Dean’s Medal by Western Sydney University for her outstanding performance in Master of Information and Communications Technology (Advanced). This year, Pallavi had been a semi-finalist in 7News Young Achiever Awards. At WSU, she had been a voice of the student community and held positions at various committees including the ‘Vice Chancellor’s International Student Advisory’, ‘Review of Academic Senate Committee’ and ‘School Academic Committee – School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics’. Pallavi is highly passionate about guiding students to have the best out of their university life. She has delivered various talks, webinars and podcasts for young ICT professionals, international students and women in STEM education. Pallavi is a role model to students and young professionals and had also been a speaker at ACS Young Professionals Summit, ISANA Conference and various Women in STEM events. She highly believes that every person can achieve their goals with the right mindset and support.

In this week’s episode, Geoff is talking to Brittany Hayward-Brown who was a Finalist in the 2021 Northern Territory Young Achiever Awards. I’m a Bachelor of Science (Honours) graduate from Charles Darwin University, with an interest in ecology, threatened species conservation and science communication. I currently work as a research assistant at CDU on threatened species research, where I conduct data collection, management and analysis, literature reviews and write scientific papers. I am also the Community Officer with Inspired NT, where I am responsible for science outreach in the Greater Darwin region, including Science Week 2021. I am passionate about science and enjoy research, but also recognise the importance of communicating research to the wider community. I'm a passionate volunteer, volunteering with a student group and a local environmental organisation. From 2019 to 2020, I was the President of the environment student group at CDU, EnviroCollective CDU, where myself and the committee organised 15 environmental education events for our Conservation on Campus program, reaching over 400 people, which resulted in the group winning the Territory NRM Environment and Conservation Award in 2020. I am actively involved in conservation and management with BirdLife Top End, a branch of the not-for-profit BirdLife Australia as the conservation and advocacy officer. In this volunteer role, I am responsible for planning and delivering a campaign in line with the branches priorities and the organisation's policies. My top skills include critical thinking, communication, initiative, teamwork and leadership. My top 2-values are: Belonging and making a difference.

22 years old and currently work as a program facilitator for youth express. I work in schools across the hunter with the next generation and help connecting them to their culture. In my spare time I enjoy coaching sport

In this week’s episode, Josh is talking to Samantha Price who was a Finalist in the 2022 Northern Territory Young Achiever Awards. Samantha opened Royal Existence Dance Academy in October 2018 and offers seven different styles of dance to children aged 2 to 18 years old. They hold over 55 classes weekly. As of 2021, Royal Existence has 13 staff members who share their passion for dance with over 330 young people. During Covid lockdowns, Samantha navigated the business to ensure her staff could keep their jobs. Experienced Small Business Owner with a demonstrated history of working in the performing arts industry. Skilled in Business Management, Leadership, Dance, Public Speaking and Human Resources. Strong business development, graduated from Australia College of Ministries. Samantha produced winning routines at National Competitions. Samantha was a Finalist in the NT Community Achievement Awards Sports in the Community Award, Finalist in the NT Young Achiever Awards Small Business Achievement Award, Winner of a Dance Studio Owners Association Award.

In this week’s episode, Geoff is talking to Hamish Munro who was a Finalist in the 2021 Community Achievement Awards for Regional NSW & the ACT.  Pairtree delivers a cutting-edge service to the Australian agriculture sector to help our clients make the most of the smart farm revolution. We turn your farm data and digital services into priceless information to help drive efficiencies and improve decision-making support and confidence. Pairtree specialises in aggregating data, allowing you to access, visualise, compare and analyse information from different sources together for the first time. We don’t tell you which hardware, software or digital services to use on your farm. That’s entirely up to you. In addition to delivering detailed weather, markets and mapping, Pairtree Intelligence acts as a ‘data translator’ to overcome incompatibility issues between your agtech devices and digital service.

At the age of 15, Peter is now studying to become a doctor at Charles Darwin University in Darwin. Between excelling in high school and selling Indonesian delicacies with his sister to raise funds for charity, Peter studied extremely hard to obtain a high ATAR last year. Peter received a near perfect score of 99.60 and became the dux of his year at Haileybury Rendall School in Darwin's east. Which placed Peter second across all year 12 students in the entire Northern Territory. Peter was also the youngest year 12 student.

Jerusha Mather is a PhD student at Victoria University investigating strength training and non - invasive brain stimulation. Her research was funded by the Cerebral Palsy Alliance. She is a recipient of the Bridge Create Change Award and the prestigious L'Oréal -UNESCO Women in Science mentee program. She was also an outstanding finalist in the Women's Agenda Leadership Award (in the health category) and is a profound motivational speaker and poet who recently published her poetry collection 'Burnt Bones and Beautiful Butterflies". She is also a leading disability activist particularly for medical students with a disability, inclusive immigration, and accessible packaging and fashion. The Australian Academy of Sciences acknowledged her as one of the STEM change maker. Her portrait is hung on Questacon ( the National Science Centre) as one of the outstanding female role models in medicine. Her petition on change.com regarding increasing accessible packaging received over 13,000 signatures. In her spare time, she enjoys music and travelling.

In this week’s episode, Geoff is talking to Victoria Pham who was a Finalist in the 2019 7NEWS Young Achiever Awards for NSW/ACT. Victoria was nominated in the Academic Achievement Award and is now undertaking a PhD at the University of Cambridge in Biological anthropology, specifically studying the evolution of signalling and communication in the hopes we can have a better understanding of our connection to nature, and how to build alongside nature in a way that is more sustainable. Aside from this, I am continuing with my arts and music practice which has led to exhibitions, commissions and premieres of my work across Australia, USA, UK and Europe, as well as hosting and producing my own podcast DECLASSIFY. I was a semi-finalist in the arts and culture category in 2018 and a finalist in the academic/science achievement category in 2019, and so my interdisciplinary career reflects both those nominations.

In this week’s episode, Josh is talking to Aimen Jafri who was a Winner in the 2021 Tasmanian Community Achievement Awards: Aimen Jafri is part of the Multicultural Council of Tasmania, Pakistani Cultural Society of Tasmania, and Shia Association of Ahl-e-Bayt Tasmania. In December 2020, she organised a Women’s Gala attended by women from all walks of life who showcased their businesses. Aimen has also organised International Women’s Day to bring together and help network women from migrant and culturally diverse and linguistically diverse backgrounds.  

Belinda Adams, became a carer for her eldest son after he sustained a traumatic brain injury in a near fatal car accident in 2012, prompting her to drive around Australia on “Belinda’s Big Bus Tour for Brain Injury Awareness” distributing resources and raising awareness for people affected by brain injury. A strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, Belinda was then invited to speak at numerous events such as “Simply Humans – Unsung Heroes” in 2017, The Hopkins Centre’s Bold Idea’s, Better Solutions Rehabilitation panel discussion facilitated by award winning journalist Emma Griffiths for ABC Focus in 2018 and at WIFT’s (Women In Film & Television) panel discussion “Inclusion by Design: Creating an equitable environment on screen and behind the camera” at the Gold Coast Film Festival in 2019. Also in 2019, Belinda was invited to join The Hopkins Centre Ambassador Council and honoured with an Adjunct Research Fellowship at Griffith University. In this role she founded Ballet for Brain Injury, a dance rehabilitation program for people affected by brain injury, developed in partnership with and facilitated by Queensland Ballet. In 2021 Belinda completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Creative Business at the University of Canberra whilst working on some of Australia’s biggest film and television productions, currently as a Screen Queensland Attachment on NBC Universal’s Ticket to Paradise starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts. Belinda formed her own production company “Citrine Sun Entertainment” with a mission to tell authentic and inclusive stories receiving a Highly Commended for her “Ballet for Brain Injury” short documentary in 2021’s Focus on Ability Film Festival. Belinda was the recipient of an Australia Day Achievement Award in 2018 and in November 2021, was presented as a semi-finalist for the Australia Pacific Community Hero Award in recognition of her contributions to the community.

Dr Mikaela Seymour is a medical doctor working in Papua New Guinea. Over the last two years she has worked as the only doctor in some of the most remote and rural villages of Western Province PNG, accessible only by grass airstrips. During the global pandemic she was responsible for the COVID19 response and vaccine roll out. Working among a team of PNG health workers, she was responsible for maintaining primary health care, antenatal, family planning, and childhood immunisation programs, despite the challenges of the pandemic. Graduating from Griffith University in 2015 with a Masters of Medicine (MD) and Bch of Medical Science, she completed a Masters of Surgical Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, Global Surgery Course at Oxford University and Masters of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at James Cook University. She is currently completing her Global Health Engagement Grad. Cert. at USUHS. Mikaela is the founder of the Bush Dokta Subcommittee (Project Yumi Charity), connecting PNG and Australian remote health care workers, supporting grassroots health projects in Papua New Guinea. In 2018 she was awarded AMA Doctor in Training of the year due to her contributions to health care in the Western Pacific region, and 2020 Qld Young achiever for Health Care. Dr Seymour is the past deputy chair of the Australian Medical Association of Qld (AMAQ) Council of Doctors in Training, previous Chair of the Junior Medical Officer Forum of Queensland and Doctor in Training member of the Medical Workforce Advisory Committee and Medical Schools Liaison Committee for the Office of the Chief Medical Officer. During university, Mikaela was president and treasurer of the Griffith University Medical Society, secretary of the Queensland Medical Students Council, and ACRRM John Flynn Rural Scholar. Mikaela was selected for the Rural Medical Education Association (RMEA) Placement to Western Province PNG and has continued volunteering in Papua New Guinea. She has been recognized by the Lowy Institute’s AUS-PNG Network as a Young Leader in the Pacific, attending the Aus-PNG Dialogue in 2017. Since then, she has been published in the Aus-PNG network blog, the Development Policy Blog Crawford Centre and the Lowy Interpreter on Pacific health issue.

Owner operator and Master Juggler, Kelly Kuhn (better known as 'Kel') has worked in the South Australian tourism industry for over 20 years, in private enterprise and more government departments than she cares to count. She is the creator of Juggle House Experiences and values the busy life her customers lead. Most recently while starting her tour business, Kelly was the Deputy Mayor of her local Council and tour host of Lions 360 Walk of the Brave at the world famous Monarto Zoo. Now when Kel is not on the road, she is busy juggling commitments for her two beautiful tween daughters, is a Board Member of the Murray River, Lakes and Coorong Tourism Alliance, the Governing Council Vice Chairperson of Mypolonga Primary School and Secretary of the local Progress Association. So, Kel truly lives up to her title as Master Juggler. And she can actually juggle for real - 3 in one hand, 2 in the other! Kelly’s incredibly diverse background has seen her go from growing up on a wheat and sheep farm, to travelling the world for work through her state government marketing roles. From spending months in Mexico learning the tourism industry, to discovering stories on the back roads of Norfolk Island. Her public relations roles see her work closely with media and celebrities from around the nation, and all of these experiences roll into one incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic human! Kel holds an Advanced Diploma of Business in Tourism, and has inroads with oodles of fellow tourism businesses in regional South Australia to help get the best out of her customer’s adventure.

I am currently employed as a Digital Technology teacher Year 1-6 and coordinate STEM education and Sustainability at Dunsborough Primary School. Previously I taught Drama and Media Arts for many years developing confidence in students and giving them the opportunity to participate in whole school community Musical performances. I have developed and led whole school and community initiatives in sustainability education, the Arts and STEM education in Regional Western Australia for over 20 years. In the past 15 years at Dunsborough Primary I have had great impact in the sustainability education of the whole school community. 9 years of Annual Bay OK Day whole school environmental, science and marine education Excursion (750 + providers and community), 12 years of Active Transport Walking School Bus, 11 Years Waterwise, 11 Years Waste Wise, Solar Schools Project, 4 Sustainability Expos at Centrepoint Shopping Centre, developed an outdoor classroom, Science in the Veggie Garden, Chooks, Compost and a seasonal frog habitat. I manage the school partnership with Dunsborough Coast and Land Care to improve biodiversity, protecting the critically endangered western ringtail possum, and through revegetation of the Blythe Reserve and other locations. In 2019 I added soft plastics recycling to our regime and significantly reduced our landfill. In teaching digital technology I use the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals as an underlying context for project work where students create digital solutions to real problems using robotics and coding applications. Students share their learning and develop an increased global awareness through these projects. In 2020 my involvement in the new Dunsborough Djiljit Mia Aboriginal Themed Nature Based Gathering Place saw me work with the local custodians to determine culturally sensitive, appropriate reconciliation outcomes to be achieved through the project. These included acknowledgement of people place and country, caring for country through revegetating the adjacent Brook and 'Wongi' sharing stories. Students are contributing to the revegetation element which will help connect them to the place and its purpose.

Youth Opportunities has been repeatedly recognised through the Community Achievement awards as an innovator in the space of mental health and social and emotional wellbeing. Each year we engage with more than 2,000 young people from 30+ schools and organisations right across Australia. We work in partnership with schools, community organisations and individual young people to deliver wellbeing and resilience programs and a range of wrap-around services. Our young people consistently report that the programs help them develop the lifelong skills, habits and confidence to overcome challenges, strengthen relationships and build resilience. Erin Faehrmann is the Chief Executive of Youth Opportunities. As a kid from humble beginnings and a childhood facing very complex challenges herself, she has a passion for supporting our youth to be their best no matter their circumstances.

Ellie ( founder) began her toxin-free journey when her newborn (Gracie) developed rashes using ‘mainstream’ skincare products. Determined to help her daughter, she dedicated her time to researching product labelling. She was horrified to discover the ingredients involved (and it is safe to say that she became a bit of a toxin-free nerd). When she researched and tested toxin-free products, there were so many suppliers producing top quality products in plastic containers. This created a sore spot in our heart and fire in our bellies to only provide products that are safe for you and our planet. It led us to a business decision that shaped us to be who we are today. We decided to stop plastic at its source and no longer sell any products that were predominantly packaged in plastic. Ellie spent a whole year learning about all things business, accounting, marketing, websites, wholesale, packing processes, writing product descriptions until her hands were sore (not kidding). She was finally ready to press the launch button and send out her first EDM to a few hundred emails she had collected through her pop-up store test model. From then on go for zero quickly outgrew her spare room, then Murrays (Ellie’s husbands) grandmas garage, then to another pop up store on the main street, Warehouse all within 9 months of launching! After 2.5 years we seriously outgrew our Moffat Beach Warehouse, ran another 2 pop-up stores in Sunshine Coast shopping centres, and secured 3 permanent mini-stores from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast. We have now moved into our new space at Kunda Park that is 3 x the size of our Moffat Beach Warehouse! Go For Zero aims to help people reduce the amount of waste and chemicals in their home, whether that be through our products, educating them on sustainable actions they can make (e.g. how to recycle properly), or motivating them with positive things that people are doing in the sustainability space (a topic that can often become so negative and scary).

Lyndal Denny has a focus on creating safer roads by educating motorists on safe driving practices around heavy vehicles and working to support more women into truck driving careers. Across a eight-year trucking career, Lyndal has driven road trains throughout WA, SA, NSW, QLD, VIC and across the top end through wet season flood waters and fires - transporting everything from cornflakes - to oversize mining infrastructure. She’s worked extensively under Rio-Tinto, Woodside, Chevron and BHP HSE systems and regulations. Lyndal co-founded Pilbara Heavy Haulage Girls – providing newly-licenced women with 160 hours free training in real work environs. Lyndal was honoured to be named a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow for her work in heavy vehicle road safety.