Maroondah Youth Awards – giving our young people an opportunity to shine

The second round of nominations are now open for the 2020 Maroondah Youth Awards, which recognise and celebrate the extraordinary and diverse achievements of young people.

Members of the community have until Friday 7 February to nominate a deserving young person and provide the opportunity to reward the courage, passion and hard work shown through their actions.

The annual awards are open to young people aged 10 to 25 who go to school, work or live in the City of Maroondah.

Maroondah Deputy Mayor, Councillor Marijke Graham, encouraged residents to nominate a young person who they felt had made a special achievement, positive contribution, shown commitment or innovation in the local community.

“We are looking for local people and those who work with young people to help put forward suitable nominees before the second and last round of nominations closes,” Cr Graham said.

“We have been overwhelmed with the positive response from our community with a total of 125 outstanding young people having already been nominated during the first call for nominations last month,” she said.

“Whether it be coordinating events for other young people, acting as a role model for new settlers in the community, or having triumphed over hardship and adversity, there are so many young people in Maroondah who dedicate their own time to better the lives of others, and they should be recognised for their efforts.”

The 2020 Maroondah Youth Awards will be presented at an evening ceremony to be held at Karralyka on Wednesday 8 April 2020. The awards ceremony will be a highlight of Council’s Victorian Youth Week activities (formerly National Youth Week), from 3 to 12 April 2020.

Cr Graham said every young person who is nominated will receive an award on the night.

“As Council believes all nominees are deserving of recognition, there is no overall winner. Instead we acknowledge the commitment, achievements and resilience shown by all nominees,” she said.

Last year’s awards ceremony recognised 181 exceptional young people who were nominated across four categories.

“From community-spirited, work inspiring, musically gifted and artistically accomplished young people, the community should feel immensely proud of what our young citizens continue to contribute to our city,” Cr Graham added.

Nomination categories for 2020 Leadership: an individual who has shown significant leadership qualities, positive direction, and has empowered others. Creativity: an individual who has shown the ability to use innovation through visual arts, performance, media or another art form. Perseverance: an individual who has demonstrated ongoing determination and persistence whilst overcoming challenges in their day-to-day life. Teamwork: a group of young people who have collaborated to provide a service, program or project that has resulted in positive, youth-led changes in the community.

To nominate someone for the 2020 Maroondah Youth Awards, visit the

For more information, email [email protected] or phone 9294 5704.