Inspirational.Australians by Awards Australia Podcast

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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”.

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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.

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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.

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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 Award in 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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”

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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”

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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”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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