Congratulations to all those who were selected to participate in the Foundation for Young Australians - Young Social Pioneers program. It is an exceptional program, and I imagine we will be seeing a lot from these young people really soon!
Amy Craig - the cup project
the cup project is an initiative that positively profiles young Australian artists on takeaway coffee cups in Melbourne. the cup project seeks to form connections between the wider community and young artists, increasing recognition of the positive works created by young people living and working in Australia.
Carl Scrase - The Wemakeus Collective
The Wemakeus Collective is an emerging political party aiming to bring creative thinking to the forefront of public opinion and working towards new ways of engaging all ages and all professions to think creatively. Wemakeus believes that a creative thought process gives you the ability to see a world of possibilities instead of a world of constraints.
Dominic Greenwood - Major Raiser
Major Raiser is a not-for-profit project that supports worthwhile causes through live music performances by young Australian bands and artists. It provides young members of the community with the opportunity to engage with charities and delivers fundraising appeals that fall outside the scope of more conventional fundraising initiatives. Major Raiser aims to establish a network of wellbeing that will enhance and develop the fabric of society.
Laura Egan - Enterprise Learning Projects (ELP)
Enterprise Learning Projects (ELP) aims to create opportunities for people in remote Aboriginal communities to achieve their aspirations for economic participation through enterprise. ELP provides a first point of contact for individuals and communities who have ideas that they want to explore and develop into sustainable businesses. ELP's model allows people to come together, select an idea they want to pursue, learn how to develop it into an income-generating enterprise, link to networks for specialist support and maintain the work long-term.
Nerida Lennon - Sustainable fashion
Nerida Lennon is a model who is working to educate and inspire the fashion industry to operate in a more sustainable way. Through film and fashion week events, she aims to engage consumers and fashion labels in sustainability by providing a realistic depiction of the challenges and opportunities for leading Australian labels working towards sustainability. By merging the cachet of high fashion with sustainability principles, she wants to illustrate that style is not a trade-off for sustainable design.
Rowan Kunz - Uni Australia
Uni Australia was created in response to the staggering number of university students who drop out due to dissatisfaction. The project assists high school students make a more informed decision about tertiary education options and determine which course and which university will be the best fit for them.
Steph Woollard - Blessed Life
Blessed Life is a grassroots development project that empowers Nepalese women through Fair Trade. The purpose is to create a skills training centre for the disabled, and provide disadvantaged women with the skills they need to become catalysts in breaking the cycle of poverty and take on a position of leadership in helping others to do the same
Warren Roberts - The Youth Awareness Resource Network (YARN)
The Youth Awareness Resource Network (YARN) seeks to provide a safe space where tough questions can be asked. YARN is a pro-active group that seeks to take action on social justice and Indigenous Australian issues. The project aims to build stronger links between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians through story-telling.
Ben Hamley - Smart Artz
Smart Artz is a collaborative youth-led agency focused on inspiring and motivating Queensland's youth to explore their creative sides. The purpose is to increase opportunities for young people to become active citizens in their local communities by exploring human-centred and design-led thinking as a way to encourage active participation. Smart Artz aims to build capacity for youth-led creative projects by working on projects for youth-focused organisations or sponsoring companies wishing to address a youth issue.
Anania Tagaro - The Darwin Youth Organisations Network (DYON)
The Darwin Youth Organisations Network (DYON) is an initiative that unites organisations across the city with the common goal of giving a voice to Darwin's youth. DYON aims to bring together the various youth-led organisations and groups around Darwin to share resources, skills and ideas to address Darwin-specific youth issues.
Brodie McCulloch - Social innovation in Western Australia (SiiWA)
Social innovation in Western Australia (SiiWA) aims to support entrepreneurs, communities and businesses to deliver socially responsible strategies through innovative means. SiiWA coordinates and facilitates both soft and hard support that will provide a base for anyone with a socially positive idea to find support, resources and mentoring.
Lachy Ritchie - Dismantle
Dismantle uses the process of recycling bicycles as a symbol for turning waste into opportunity. Through the journey from 'junk' to 'bicycle', Dismantle changes people's perspectives of the world around them; the skill of turning waste into opportunity has a flow on effect into all aspects of their lives.
Tessa Henwood-Mitchell - Tia International Aid
Tia International Aid is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation that aims to improve the futures of underprivileged and disadvantaged children in Bolivia by working directly with community groups and organisations to create sustainable change. Working from a model of empowerment and participation, Tia concentrates on working in collaboration with the community.