- Outstanding role models and leaders honoured at 2023 WA Youth Awards
- Isabella Choate recognised as the 2023 WA Young Person of the Year
- 10 inspiring young people and organisations awarded for their contributions
Youth Minister Simone McGurk has praised the winners of the 2023 WA Youth Awards for their leadership and determination to make a difference to their communities.
The 2023 WA Youth Awards recognise the contribution that young people make to the social, cultural and economic life in Western Australia, and the work that the youth sector delivers to support young people.
This year’s award winners and finalists are passionate about topics ranging from consent, bullying, supporting culturally and linguistically diverse communities, social justice, youth homelessness and poverty, disability, mental health and the environment.
The 2023 WA Young Person of the Year is Isabella Choate. Isabella is a lived experience advocate working across youth, disability, mental health, and LGBTIQA+ areas. They are passionate about celebrating intersectional communities and creating opportunities for young people to have a voice.
Isabella sits on several councils, including the Children and Young People with Disability Australia Youth Council, the Victorian Department of Health Lived Experience Steering Group, and they are supporting Consumers of Mental Health WA to establish a lived experience leadership course.
Isabella is also Co-Chair of the North Metropolitan Health Service Mental Health Advisory Council. They work at the Youth Disability Advocacy Network and in their spare time, they host accessible events for members of the disability community.
Category winners in the 2023 WA Youth Awards are:
- Minister for Youth’s Most Outstanding Youth Worker Award: Ben Dancey
- Commissioner for Children and Young People Participate Award: Dillian Binar Cumming
- MercyCare Positive Achievement Award: Abigail Gregorio
- Edith Cowan University Community Leadership Award: Isabella Choate
- Perth Festival Creative Contribution Award: Xanthe Turner
- The Y WA Collective Action Award: Youth Pride Network
- Youth Focus Sector Collaboration Award: Home Stretch WA
- Youth Futures Innovation for a Sustainable Future Award: Samuel Thomas
- Mission Australia Young Changemaker Award: Jack Connor Anderson
- The Charmaine Dragun Memorial: Cameron Carr
For more information: https://www.yacwa.org.au/wa-youth-awards-2023/
As stated by Youth Minister Simone McGurk:
“Congratulations to Isabella and all the Youth Awards winners and finalists. These young people are role models for all of us.
“All the finalists should be proud of their very important work tackling issues such as bullying, social justice, mental health and the environment and making a real difference.
“I’d also like to recognise YACWA’s strong leadership role on many important youth initiatives and programs.
“The Cook Labor Government is committed to listening to young people about what works for them, issues that impact their lives and what is needed to support them.”
