The 2023 Young Citizen of the Year award was won by Emily Gamez at Glenorchy’s recent Volunteer and Community Awards.
Emily has a strong service ethic and finds many different and varied ways of supporting her community, whether it be within her school community or within the wider community.
Emily is a volunteer buddy at both St Vincent de Paul and Edmund Rice camps for disadvantaged young people, which are run during school holiday periods. These camps provide opportunities for team-work and create safe and happy spaces, along with fostering an encouraging and supportive environment.
Emily attends Guilford Young College and is a College Community Student Leader, and Leader and mentor of the Just Act Committee. As a school leader, she excels in bringing ideas to the table, participating, and organising school events and activities.
Emily participates in the ‘Dining with Friends’ program at Mathers House cooking for those who may need a meal and company while enjoying their meal.
Along with volunteering, Emily also umpires and referees for school sporting communities in netball and soccer.
Emily doesn’t just work to support and improve outcomes within her community, but also challenges herself via the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. The DofE awards recognise adolescents and young adults for actively practising self-improvement. Within the DofE program, Emily is involved in a series of exercises such as volunteering, physical activities, developing social skills and ‘expeditions’ (training for adventurous journey). Emily has successfully completed the bronze and silver level of the scheme and is now working towards gold.
Emily finds volunteering to be a rewarding experience and appreciates the opportunity to be able to make a difference in a person’s life, whether this is by providing them with new experiences, or making them feel valued and listened to.
Thank you Emily – we look forward to watching your star shine bright into the future.
