The outstanding achievements of young people and the youth sector were recently celebrated at the 2024 WA Youth Awards gala ceremony.
As a major partner, we proudly sponsored the Y WA Collective Action Award, which was awarded to the Child and Adolescent Community Health Service (CAHS) Youth Advisory Group (YAG).
YAG is made up of 12 members from diverse backgrounds whose work significantly improves the experiences of children and young people in hospital and medical settings.
One recent example has seen YAG advocating for improvements to the food served to inpatients at Perth Children’s Hospital. Recognizing the importance of healthy meals, YAG worked with CAHS to launch a Meals on Demand project, ensuring better food options and ordering processes while considering various medical needs.
In another impactful project, YAG responded to a complaint from the parent of a neurodiverse child regarding the Emergency Department. Their detailed feedback prompted significant changes and led to a service-wide initiative to improve the experience for neurodiverse young people. YAG members have collaborated with architects to redesign physical spaces at PCH and are helping establish a consumer working group for the Behavioural Health and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Project.
YAG exemplifies how a dedicated group of young people can influence health research and service delivery, benefiting young patients and their families.
Y WA Youth Advocate Maeson Harvey attended the ceremony and was inspired by the stories of young leaders.
“The stories of finalists and award-winners throughout the ceremony were inspirational, and displayed a shared passion and commitment to bringing positive change for young people. Their passion and dedication remind us of the power of inspired young people,” Maeson shared.
The prestigious 2024 WA Young Person of the Year award was presented to Oliver Lim for his commitment to amplifying the voices of young people living with disabilities and from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Oliver was diagnosed with lupus, a chronic autoimmune health condition, when he was 18 months old. In 2021, he was the Little Telethon Star and raised more than $100,000 for Telethon. He has also supported fundraising campaigns for MSK Australia, Arthritis and Osteoporosis WA, and the Youth Disability Advocacy Network. As Young Person of the Year, Oliver receives a $10,000 bursary to participate in youth-related initiatives across the state.
The category winners of the 2024 WA Youth Awards include:
Each category winner received a $1,000 prize. The WA Youth Awards, organized by the Youth Affairs Council of WA (YACWA), continue to highlight the remarkable contributions of young people and the essential role of the youth sector in supporting their growth.