Red Carpet stories puts spotlight on youth

Since its inception, the Red Carpet Youth Awards has always been about recognising and acknowledging the positive contributions of our young people by sharing and celebrating their stories of resilience, passion, leadership and the difference they make to our community.

In place of the awards, the committee has created a storytelling project to showcase the achievements and the youth themselves in Wodonga.

The Red Carpet Youth Stories has many purposes but it does highlight the amazing work and attitude of the youth in our community.

Corey Bryce, Felicity Tompkins and Jack Redcliffe feature in the stories.

Corey focuses his story on trying to help people who are trying to come out.

"For me, it was pretty obvious that I was very, you know, different," he said.

"I think everyone knows that. But I know a lot of other people don't get to have the fairytale coming out that I got.

"So I like to be a voice for other people who are trying to come out and trying to be who they are. I want to be able to be there as a ray of light as one would say ... and try and help people through the situation the best way that they can for themselves."

Felicity, who loves theatre, has just finished at Wodonga Senior Secondary College.

"I moved there (schools) because I wanted to challenge myself more and get out in the community," she said.

"I had some people thinking it wasn't going to work out and saying that I wouldn't finish. They just didn't think I would make it. But then I proved them wrong.

"That's mainly what I get out of theatre, I fit in with everyone else."

Jack Redcliffe spent 2020 working two jobs as well as studying for VCAL.

"I have an older brother who has Autism and a younger brother who has complex medical conditions," he said.

"If I didn't grow up within the family environment that I have I don't think I would have ever thought about the disability support field.

"I only really knew about that kind of work because my older brother had support workers and I thought that it would be a great pathway for me."