Celebrating Ballarat’s best and brightest youth

Ballarat’s young people will be recognised and celebrated this week at the City of Ballarat Youth Awards. 

Almost 100 young people and influential adults have been nominated for a commendation at the 2022 awards. 

The annual youth-led initiative is designed and delivered by Youth Services volunteers working with City of Ballarat staff. 

The awards pay tribute to diverse contributors in the community including in the arts, sport, equity, diversity and inclusion, and community service. 

This year the Youth Awards Ceremony will be returning to an in-person event after two successful COVID-friendly virtual presentations. 

City of Ballarat Deputy Mayor, Cr Amy Johnson said every person nominated for an award is deserving of recognition for their work.  

“It’s never easy to choose award recipients from such a wonderful field of nominations and I congratulate everyone who has been nominated this year,” she said.  

“The Ballarat Youth Awards highlights that the future of our city is in very safe hands.” 

The award ceremony welcomes comedian Ethan Cavanagh as MC, 2022 Youth Awards Ambassadors Harry Buck and Gabriel Gervasoni and will feature a Welcome to Country by Uncle Barry Gilson. 

The 2022 Youth Awards Ceremony will present 13 award categories, including the announcement of the two major award winners. 

The event is open to the community, and all are invited to come along and celebrate on Friday 12 August from 6.45pm at the Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts. 

The awards are supported through a partnership of City of Ballarat, Victorian Government, and community agencies including Art Gallery of Ballarat, Ballarat Community Health, Ballarat Foundation, Ballarat Tech School, Basketball Ballarat, Buninyong Community Bank, Ballarat Youth Services Network, Committee for Ballarat, Compassionate Ballarat, headspace Ballarat, Highlands LLEN, Wendouree Centre for the Performing Arts, Western Bulldogs and the Y Ballarat. 

See the full list of Youth Awards nominees 

2022 Ballarat Youth Awards Recipients

Compassion and Care Award - Millie Collins

Creative Arts Award - Zara Jarvis

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Award - Meghan Lee

Group Project Award - GREEN FEST - Ballarat Action Climate Co-op

Influential Adult  - Volunteer - Tarryn Harris

Influential Adult - Worker - John Maher

Innovators Award - Indya Hayes

Leadership in Sport & Recreation Award - Rohan McMaster

Personal Growth Award - Ruby Lloyd-Vendy

Positive Leader Award - Dhuvarrishlanth Veerabahu

Youth Volunteer Award - Liam Ryan

12 – 17 Major Award - Millie Collins

18 – 25 Major Award - Ruby Lloyd-Vend