Through a lens of creativity, fostering inclusiveness and belonging is at the heart of Ballarat East-based Ms Skewe\u2019s many roles.<\/p>\n
As founder of the social cycling event Ballarat Tweed Ride, and president of theatre company Ballarat National Theatre, Ms Skewes said those aims are integral to her creative endeavours.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s four drivers about why you do something\u2026things like [financial benefit, career advancement],\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one that I find the most important is it has to make your world a better place. With all the projects I\u2019ve done\u2026it is about that feeling of community.\u201d<\/p>\n Ms Skewes joined the eight-decades-old BNT in 2016 and said it allowed her develop her talents within a group setting.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you\u2019re in a community theatre company, the feeling that you\u2019re contributing to something greater is wonderful,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s so many people that use BNT both as a launching pad to go find their joy but also to find other people that help them feel like they belong. That was essential for me during 2020.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2020, Ms Skewes co-developed a Webby Award-honoured podcast adaptation of Jane Austen\u2019s Pride and Prejudice.<\/p>\n Since establishing the annual Ballarat Tweed Ride in 2012, she said the initiative has become more fun and inclusive with every year.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Tweed Ride started, it was seven of us on bikes and it has been quite a wonderful opportunity each year to go how can we make this more inclusive?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cAdjusting the fashion awards so they were gender-neutral was a really wonderful step so people could see the visibility of how they were included.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s so wonderful seeing other people\u2019s outfits and hearing every single participant ring a bell and horn at the same time.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a real beautiful sense of community in that.\u201d<\/p>\n Young Citizen of the Year \u2013 Millie Collins<\/strong><\/p>\n The COVID pandemic affected many people in different ways, and for Delacombe resident Ms Collins, it ignited a passion and drive to help others.<\/p>\n She said her \u201ceyes were really opened\u201d to those struggling during the pandemic, which led to her organising care packages for Ballarat\u2019s young homeless people.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were a lot of people I knew of in my school community and locally to me that found those times very, very challenging,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very fortunate that I didn\u2019t find them as challenging as a lot of other people so I feel like that really opened up my eyes.\u201d<\/p>\n Ms Collins\u2019 volunteerism has extended with her efforts with Uniting\u2019s homelessness support program and the Delacombe Salvation Army\u2019s thrift store.<\/p>\n She is also part of the Ballarat Climate Action Group, and is a representative and spokesperson with Oryen\/Mission Australia with a focus on the psychological impact of the pandemic lockdowns.<\/p>\n Ms Collins helped organise last year\u2019s Ballarat Youth Awards, where she won the Compassion and Care Award and the overall award for ages 12 to 17.<\/p>\n With this year\u2019s school captain at Phoenix P12 College adding to her roles, Ms Collins said she remains passionate about helping others.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I finish school, I want to make a difference. I want to help the community. I want to get involved,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to support people and change lives, and just be a person people need.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel there\u2019s so many people in our community especially that do need that extra support and I feel like as a community we really need to band together.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Community Event of the Year – Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre<\/strong><\/p>\n Each Friday during school terms, the Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre runs community lunches provided by Our Kitchen Social Enterprise.<\/p>\n Chef, David Bending, has been at the helm of the lunches since 2020 and said they\u2019ve provided accessible meals and an inclusive space.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a space where people can come back, have a really good cheap meal and an opportunity to talk to someone for what might be the only time they get to during the week,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey can grab a little bit of free bread or something that\u2019s there and it\u2019s just that sense of community and something to do each week.<\/p>\n \u201cWe utilise what we can that comes out of the garden. Anything we can get for free, we use that up first. That\u2019s why there\u2019s no set menu.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/IMG_7483-300x200.jpg\")
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