Candidates 2008

David helps to support and advocate for young people who are experiencing homelessness through sitting on the Board of Management for the Southern Youth and Family Services since 2005. He was also selected to attend the Australia 2020 Youth Summit as a delegate for Communities and Families. David was a finalist in the Department of Housing Youth Achievement Awards in 2007 and is on the judging panel for 2009. He currently sits on the Social Housing Tenants' Advisory Committee for Housing NSW and enjoys volunteering as a House Pianist for Spiegelhaus Cabaret.

Ashton volunteers as a support worker with my|place - a youth house which provides supported accommodation to young people aged 16-25 years old. He has travelled to Cape Town, South Africa both in 2004 and 2008 to visit and assist women's shelters, women and children with AIDS shelters and where he helped to build friendships with the locals. His other volunteering includes interacting and entertaining children with disabilities and was also a volunteer for the "Adopt-a-block' initiative which saw a team of 10 build community relationships through gardening. In 2004, Ashton won the "Good Guys 'Good Kid Award' and in 2005 was nominated for the Youth Achievement Awards.

Josh is the Vice President and Director of Events Promotion for the Faculty of Arts and Student and Staff Association (FASSA). Within one year, Josh's initiative has established FASSA as one of the largest growing University of Wollongong's clubs which provide a voice and sense of community for all Art Students. With this, Josh's involvement increases with the development and organising of crucial programs and events to engage and empower all the members of FASSA.

Michael's position as a youth group leader for his church enables him to develop and coordinate activities for his group of year 7 students. Michael is also president of Good Deeds International - Wollongong Chapter - an anti-child trafficking movement based within Australia. He is also a member of the University of Wollongong's three year Black Opal Leadership Program where he assists in coordinating community engagement projects.

Neil currently volunteers with the youth development staff at his local church to improve care for youth and volunteers in the church's youth programs. This involves adapting business management techniques to improve the way programs operate and increase effectiveness through better alignment to the needs of those involved. Neil also coaches young leaders in leadership for the past two years and has been volunteering as a youth worker with a local church for the past six years.

Willy is an active member of Albion Park Rotary Club where he assists in developing and coordinating local community and charity events. He is an active participant in a charity organisation called the Village Aide Program where they recently raised more than $30,000 to assist families living in poverty in the Philippines. Willy enjoys being a regular blood donar with the Red Cross Blood Service and he supports various community charities through his local business Panther Signs.