Young people are the future

YOUNG people are the future of our city, and the Geelong Youth Awards offer a fantastic opportunity to acknowledge their incredible achievements.

Nominations for the 2025 awards are officially open, and I urge you to think about the inspiring young people in your life who lead by example and deserve recognition.

The Youth Awards celebrate the achievements of young people aged 12 to 25 years old who live, work, study, play or volunteer in the City of Greater Geelong.

These awards highlight the diverse talent, leadership and community spirit of our local youth across a range of categories.

This year’s categories span active achievement, arts and music, citizenship, cultural awareness, innovation, inspiration, unsung heroes and volunteering.

The volunteering award is open to individuals of any age who volunteer with young people – whether they’re a dedicated community group volunteer or a passionate advocate within your neighbourhood.

So, if you know someone who leads and inspires within these areas and deserves recognition, now is the time to nominate them.

Your nominations directly inform the judging panel’s selection, ensuring the awards reflect the broad achievements of young people in Greater Geelong.

This event is truly inspiring, and it’s always humbling to be in the presence of young people who have demonstrated resilience and leadership within their field.

Geelong is home to so many young leaders, and I’ve seen firsthand how they drive positive change in our region.

Early in my term as Mayor I had the pleasure of inducting this year’s Youth Council, a group of 11 young people aged between 12 and 17 years who already demonstrate fantastic leadership, initiative and drive.

They are leaders within their schools, community groups and to their peers, and embody the values and leadership that many adults would aspire to hold.

It’s encouraging to see young people engaged in civic participation and eager to support their communities.

We’ve also seen incredible courage from young leaders elsewhere in the region, like those advocating for change in the anti-vaping campaign at North Geelong Secondary and Northern Bay Colleges.

Our City’s Youth Development team, in partnership with CatholicCare, has been working with senior students at both schools to raise awareness about the harms of vaping.

I applaud these young people for speaking out against an issue that is quickly becoming a significant health and social problem for youth in our city.

Beyond classrooms and City Hall, the achievements of our region’s young people are abundant. They drive positive change within their community groups, social clubs, volunteer roles and sports clubs.

We should celebrate these young achievers every day, and the Youth Awards are a great place to start.

If there is somebody you would like to nominate in this year’s awards, head to yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/youthawards to fill out the form before nominations close on Sunday 20 July.

I eagerly anticipate hearing about the diverse achievements of our region’s youth when the award finalists are announced later this year.

Cr Stretch Kontelj

Mayor,

City of Greater Geelong