The Finalists have been selected for the Royal Flying Doctor Service Regional Service Award in the 2019 Seven News Young Achiever Awards. The Awards aim to encourage, acknowledge and reward the achievements and valuable contribution young individuals make in their local communities.
The Finalists are:
Joella Ashwin, 26 of Wiluna works for her Wiluna Martu community as an enrolled nurse and acting practice manager at the Ngangganawili Aboriginal Health Service. She is the first young Martu to attend University, study nursing, and graduate. At Ngangganawili Aboriginal Health Service, Joella works closely with the maternal and child health nurse to ensure that young Martu children are receiving ongoing and regular health care. As a result, more Martu parents have increased confidence and trust resulting in more parents bringing their children to the clinic for health checks. Joella is committed to improving the health outcomes for her own people.
Josef Bandera, 21 of Australind is committed to improving the participation of persons with an intellectual disability in sporting programs. After getting the support of community-based sporting organisations that support diversity and inclusiveness, Josef founded WA iSports Inc., a club offering a more accessible and inclusive community for sports and personal development. As a result, over 300 vulnerable community members now have a safe and supported environment where disability isn’t a barrier. Through iSports, Josef has provided travel opportunities to over 70 athletes across Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia. He continues to find solutions as a member of the Bunbury Disability Access and Inclusion Team.
Brie-anne Mauger, 28 of West End is a passionate volunteer. She has been a volunteer ambulance officer and volunteer development officer through St John Ambulance for over nine years, attending community events to provide first aid, attending ambulance call outs, and delivering training and mentoring to other volunteer ambulance officers. She is a member of the local Volunteer Leadership Group and a volunteer instructor at the Geraldton Police Rangers Cadet Unit. Brie-anne is a registered nurse who is currently employed by WA Country Health Service and works in the Emergency Department of Geraldton Regional Hospital. She mentors student nurses and encourages volunteers to become health professionals.
Jo-Beth Winton, 25 of Kununurra is an enthusiastic Miriwoong language teacher at the Mirima Dawang Woorlab-gerring Language and Culture Centre, a small-medium not-for-profit organisation based in a remote Kimberley town. The Centre works to preserve and revitalise the Miriwoong language, currently classified as critically endangered. Jo-Beth is teaching the language to over 400 children every week, giving the language and culture the best possible chance of revitalisation whilst connecting to young Miriwoong people. She also works to expand the activities of the Mirriwoong Language Nest. For her dedication and resilience, she was awarded the 2018 National Third Sector Young Leader of the Year Award.
Regional Western Australia is a vibrant and exciting place that is constantly changing. Young Western Australians play an integral role in helping their regional communities to achieve this through volunteering, leadership, sport, community activities or in their career, business or enterprise. They're helping to ensure sustainability, community and economic development, and to promote positive images and promotion of their town or region.
The Royal Flying Doctor’s Regional Service Award aims to recognise our regional and rural young achievers and community contributors, acknowledging those who are helping to reshape and inspire their local communities.
These Finalists will be presented and Winner announced at an Awards Gala Presentation Dinner, held at Pan Pacific Perth on Saturday 25th May.
Congratulations and good luck to all Finalists!
The Young Achiever Awards began in 2016, with the aim to acknowledge, encourage and most importantly promote the positive achievements of all young people up to and including 29 years of age. The Awards showcase the achievements of young Western Australians, and pays tribute to their vision, innovation and commitment.
