Latest news with #YoungAchiever
West Australian
01-08-2025
- General
- West Australian
Inaugural Albany Changemakers Summit, by Youth Leadership Academy Australia creates youth voice for change
Albany's first Changemakers Summit was held on Tuesday, with students of all ages learning how to position their voices at the forefront of conversations to enact real change in their communities. Run by Youth Leadership Academy Australia, the inaugural event was attended by more than 70 students from Yakamia Primary School, Mt Lockyer Primary School, North Albany High School, Australian Christian College and St Joseph's College. YLAA chief executive Wil Massara said the idea of taking the summit to Albany was sparked six months ago, to ensure regional students don't miss out on learning vital leadership skills. 'We wanted to take an event to Albany that not only powered young people, but created lasting change in the community,' he said. 'An important part of that was making the youth voice at the forefront of the event and recognising that leadership opportunities and upskilling are often dictated by postcode, meaning the regions can miss out.' The summit program was designed by a task force of students from each school who met monthly to discuss what young people in Albany need to empower them. Alongside workshops and leadership challenges, attendees were treated to talks from keynote speakers, Mr Massara — himself only 23-years-old and a 2025 WA Young Achiever — and Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient Lexy McDonald who founded the wellness app HerHelp. Mr Massara said that he believes hearing from other young people, including members of their own student leadership body, creates a greater impact on students. 'The theme of yesterday is that young people are so motivated, but never given skills or permission to do anything, or the belief to back them to create change,' Mr Massara said. 'They identified frustrations and pain points in the community and their schools and will now create solutions to create change. 'We want to give the youth agency that they can change their own worlds.' Attendees will meet virtually again in three months and present the results of their proposed solutions to issues such as isolation and disconnection.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Teenager honoured for hygiene kit for the homeless
A teenager who turned the family living room into a makeshift centre to process hygiene kits for the homeless has been recognised for his efforts. Rohan Mehta, from Kensington in west London, founded his In The Bag project two years ago. So far, the 17-year-old has donated 130 bags containing toiletries, toothbrushes and other items to homeless Londoners. Rohan, who is studying for his A-level exams at Latymer Upper School, was given the Young Achiever award by Kensington and Chelsea Council and recognised with a civic honour by Hammersmith and Fulham Council. The philanthropic teen said homelessness had always been an issue that really affected him. Rohan said when he was small and would spot someone on the street, he would ask his parents if they could provide that person with money or food. "I always knew I wanted to do something to be part of the solution so when I got a little bit older, I thought, what tangible stuff could I do? "I wanted to create something practical that could really help people, not just raise awareness, but give them something that could make them feel a little bit better, give them back some of their dignity. That's why I wanted to start In The Bag." Rohan was only 15 when he began developing the idea. His family's living room quickly filled with shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes and toothpaste. He said: "I wanted to focus on something with daily hygiene. When you're homeless, you don't have access to a lot of these things and when you're able to stay in a shelter overnight, for example, if you're able to clean yourself up properly, it makes you feel a lot better. "When I started studying economics, I started getting this idea of a job-seeking element to this and the whole cycle of poverty and I realised how incredibly difficult it was to break that. "You really cannot have a job interview if you do not look presentable and clean... so I wanted to do my part in sort of breaking that barrier because it's really, really difficult." His efforts have been recognised by two London councils. In March, he was handed the Young Achiever's Award by the mayor of Kensington and Chelsea. In April, he was given a civic honour by Hammersmith and Fulham Council for his contributions to building a stronger, safer, kinder borough. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Councils fear bankruptcy amid homelessness crisis People living on London's streets rises by 26% 'No time is a good time to be homeless' In The Bag
BBC News
05-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Kensington teenager honoured for hygiene kits for the homeless
A teenager who turned the family living room into a makeshift centre to process hygiene kits for the homeless has been recognised for his Mehta, from Kensington in west London, founded his In The Bag project two years far, the 17-year-old has donated 130 bags containing toiletries, toothbrushes and other items to homeless who is studying for his A-level exams at Latymer Upper School, was given the Young Achiever award by Kensington and Chelsea Council and recognised with a civic honour by Hammersmith and Fulham Council. The philanthropic teen said homelessness had always been an issue that really affected said when he was small and would spot someone on the street, he would ask his parents if they could provide that person with money or food. "I always knew I wanted to do something to be part of the solution so when I got a little bit older, I thought, what tangible stuff could I do?"I wanted to create something practical that could really help people, not just raise awareness, but give them something that could make them feel a little bit better, give them back some of their dignity. That's why I wanted to start In The Bag."Rohan was only 15 when he began developing the idea. His family's living room quickly filled with shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes and said: "I wanted to focus on something with daily hygiene. When you're homeless, you don't have access to a lot of these things and when you're able to stay in a shelter overnight, for example, if you're able to clean yourself up properly, it makes you feel a lot better."When I started studying economics, I started getting this idea of a job-seeking element to this and the whole cycle of poverty and I realised how incredibly difficult it was to break that."You really cannot have a job interview if you do not look presentable and clean... so I wanted to do my part in sort of breaking that barrier because it's really, really difficult." His efforts have been recognised by two London councils. In March, he was handed the Young Achiever's Award by the mayor of Kensington and Chelsea. In April, he was given a civic honour by Hammersmith and Fulham Council for his contributions to building a stronger, safer, kinder borough.
