Geelong Youth Awards winners announced

Young people making an outstanding contribution across Greater Geelong have been recognised at the annual Geelong Youth Awards.

The City of Greater Geelong presented awards in nine categories at Friday night’s ceremony at Geelong West Town Hall, recognising the contributions of young people aged between 12 and 25 years who live, work, learn or play in Greater Geelong. 

The awards ranged across areas of leadership, innovation, cultural awareness, community work, sport, arts, music and youth development. 

Youth Council members were highly involved in the Youth Awards, developing the Unsung Hero Award category and participating on the judging panel as well as speaking at the awards ceremony. 

The 2024 winners selected from 132 nominations are:   

 Active Achievement Award (two winners):

Tahlia Denham, 20, excels in sport, winning two gold medals in netball at the Australian Deaf Games and representing Victoria at the first National Cricket Inclusion Championship. She also played for the Australian Deaf Geckos women’s basketball team. Her dedication and hard work inspires others. 

Simon Wolfe, 20, is known for his humility and quiet achievements. He promotes the AFL Barwon All Ability football league and led the Bell Post Hill Dragons to their first grand final win. Simon mentors young people through 4GR, a NDIS registered provider helping young people build confidence and job skills, and encourages sports participation in young people with disabilities. 

Arts and Music Award (two winners):

Fiston Baraka, 20, a dedicated theatre artist, mentors fellow creatives and participates in projects like the GRID series, the North Children’s Choir, Kapsize, and Ahead Of My Time. Known for his kind, friendly and respectful personality, Fiston seizes every opportunity to spread a musical message, striving to create a better life for himself and others. 

Heidi Cahir, 19, is a talented artist helping young people from low socio-economic backgrounds to develop their artistic skills. Heidi was exhibited in the National Gallery of Victoria’s (NGV) Top Arts exhibition and is the first art student to receive the DUX award among her graduating cohort at Northern Bay College. Heidi was accepted into Geelong Gallery’s Future Creatives 2024 exhibition and featured in the May/June 2024 edition of the NGV magazine. 

Citizenship Award:

Daniel Lim, 13, established Casting Dreams in 2022, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to helping young people access the performing arts. To date, Daniel has provided eight scholarships totalling $5,000 with plans to award seven more in 2025. Also volunteering as a mentor at Centrestage, Daniel is widely respected for his leadership and community engagement skills. 

Cultural Awareness Award:

 Nazdana Husseini, 23, has volunteered for Cultura youth and community programs, designed digital content for the Respectful Relationships initiative and presented to community organisations and schools. Nazdana was a leader for the ROOT youth arts music project, and has performed at events including Pako Festa, the Geelong Arts Centre and International Women’s Day. With a focus on diversity and inclusion, Nazdana aims to highlight challenges faced when settling in a new country.  

Innovation Award:

Casper Horne, 15, has sought grants from multiple organisations to start their own not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting other young people. Casper also serves in an advisory group for the City of Greater Geelong, elevating the voice of y