New South Wales

YOUTH COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD 2024

The Youth Community Service Award, conducted annually by the NSW Branch of the Order of Australia Association, was again offered in 2024.  The Award, convened by Dr Frank Kelleher OAM, recognises outstanding community service by individual students, and complements those awarded for academic, sporting and leadership achievement by their schools. First offered in 1993, 2024 marked 30 years of presentation of the Award, with 2020 the only omission (Covid 19).  In that time, 690 students (411 female, 279 male), from 281 schools throughout NSW, have been presented with their Awards by the Governor of NSW, in a ceremony at NSW Government House.   Invitations to nominate a student were emailed to the Principals of 972 NSW High Schools offering the NSW HSC (Higher School Certificate) or IB (International Baccalaureate) programs in May.  Nominations were lodged online here and closed on June 30.

Presentation of Awards

Twenty six nominees (17 female, 9 male) were recommended by the judging panel to receive their Awards from Her Excellency, the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of NSW, at  NSW Government House on October 25.   

Nominees not selected for the Award received Certificates of Commendation in recognition of their service, to be  presented at their respective school award ceremonies.

Front row : Mrs Lynnette Smith OAM (judge), Dr Frank Kelleher OAM, Christine Douglas (Awardee), NSW Governor Her Excellency Margaret Beazley AC KC, Ms Judith Gray OAM (judge)

2024 Awardees

Siena Camilleri – Mount Annan Christian College, Mount Annan; Marcus Campagna – Oakhill College, Castle Hill; Bailey Campbell – Warilla High School, Barrack Heights; Cadence Campbell – Lambton High School, Lambton; Hamish Campbell – Redlands, Cremorne; Travis Campbell – Nepean Christian School, Mulgoa; Brayden Cook – Northlakes High School, San Remo; Anju Dhanushkodi – Hornsby Girls High School, Hornsby; Christine Douglas – Wyndham College, Quakers Hill; Liam Drebber – Nepean Christian School, Mulgoa; Lauren Edinborough – Arndell Anglican College, Oakville; Isabelle Hayward – Port Hacking High School, Miranda; Christa-Maria Inaty – Hills Grammar School, Kenthurst; Chenuli Jayasekara – Loreto, Normanhurst; Aditi Kamath – Santa Sabina College, Strathfield; Alexa Player – St Marys Senior High School, St Marys; Kale Puata – St Edwards College, East Gosford; Sadie Smart – Newcastle Grammar School, Newcastle; Amelia Stevens – Henry Kendall High School, Gosford; Daniel Su – Sydney Boys High School, Moore Park; Zara Sultan – Al Faisal College, Auburn; Megan Sutton – William Clarke College, Kellyville; Betelhem Tesfamariam – Bishop Druitt College, Coffs Harbour; Hope Voigt – Colo High School, North Richmond; Calum Winston – Bede Polding College, South Windsor; Ninab Youkhanna – St Bishoy College, Mount Druitt.

 Community Service

A summary of community service undertaken by Awardees for the years 2017 to 2024 summarised below:

Research and Development

  • Research, development and consultancy on technology and accessibility for the visually challenged

Campaigning and Fundraising for:

  • Program and resource support, (often including in-country service) for schools and communities in Fiji, Kenya, Tanzania, Iraq, Haiti, Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, Samoa, Thailand, Laos, Bali, Uganda, Israel, the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste.
  • Construction and development of facilities, resource, and educational support of remote Australian indigenous communities.
  • School and university scholarships in Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and other Asian, African and South Pacific countries
  • Organisations including Zonta International, St Vincent de Paul, Red Cross, Cancer Council, Respite Care services, Prisoner Aid groups, Church Outreach Support Programs, Care for the Aged, Rural Fire Service, Bushfire, Drought and Flood Relief, Dementia Awareness and Support, Legacy, Can Assist, Headspace Youth Reference Groups, Relay for Life, 40 Hour Famine, Clean-up Australia, Surf Lifesaving, Leukemia Foundation, Redkite, Salvation Army Appeals, RU OK and Youth Leadership programs, Local Government, Youth Sport Engagement, Mental Health Forums,  Domestic Violence Victim Support, Reconciliation and NAIDOC Week, Human and Indigenous Rights, Youth Pride and Inclusion initiatives, and a range of Environmental and Climate Change activities.

 Mentoring :

  • Disadvantaged and disengaged youth in local communities
  • Inclusion initiatives within indigenous, refugee, and other disadvantaged youth incentive programs, including education and involvement in Local Government youth advisory committees
  • Tutoring indigenous, disadvantaged, autistic, special needs, refugee, and immigrant children

Volunteering:

  • Active promotion and participation in programs such as Zonta International, which uses donated essentials to create and deliver birthing packages to women in remote regions and poorly resourced regions throughout the world
  • Advocacy and practical support for the homeless in many communities through provision of clothing, bedding, food, shelter and emotional support
  • Aged care voluntary work and support programs
  • Multicultural development programs – promoting inclusion and engagement in community programs and welfare support, recognition, and support of multicultural and cross-cultural initiatives in communities
  • Disaster relief programs and activities through service with emergency services organisations such as SES and RFS in support of fire, flood and drought-affected farmers, families, and communities
  • Community youth leadership programs – initiation, engagement, and support for disengaged and disadvantaged youth
  • Promotion, participation and support programs for Women’s Shelters and refuge centres, providing victim support and participation in education programs against domestic violence
  • Prisoner and victim support groups – fund raising, publicity and donation appeals – clothing, food, other essentials such as birthing packages for female prisoners
  • Campaigning against racism and discrimination in local communities
  • Performing arts education and community radio
  • Involvement in wide ranging community health initiatives such as Headspace, Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention Programs
  • Campaigning for environmental awareness initiatives and action for climate change at local, state and national levels
  • Introduction of tactile banknotes for the visually impaired
  • Campaigning for acceptance and advocacy for inclusion of immigrants and refugees
  • Service learning for development, representation at Local, National, and international workshops and conferences
  • Coaching disadvantaged, disabled, refugee and low-income youth across a range of sports and physical activities including wheelchair Rugby Union and League, tennis, athletics and surfing