Tom Harvey Award for Citizenship

The Tom Harvey Award is named after the late inaugural Chairman of the Australia Youth Trust and recognises the outstanding contribution of a young Australian citizen between the age of 15 and 30 years.
It comprises a cash prize of $2,000, and is presented at the annual Commonwealth Day Luncheon held at Parliament House, Sydney.
Commonwealth Day is celebrated across the Commonwealth of Nations – a voluntary association of 54 member nations, including 1.8 billion people or 30% of the world’s population.
The award is made as part of a wider programme of grants made by the Trust to assist young people working together within Australia and developing Commonwealth nations within our region, supporting projects such as:
- the relief of poverty and suffering
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literacy, education, training and employment opportunities and
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the promotion of youth leadership exchange.
Past recipients of the Tom Harvey Award for Citizenship:
- Trae Wilson (2023) for his willingness to volunteer and his respectful attitude towards everyone and everything. Trae is a leader within the Bourke youth and takes pride in being a role model for the younger generation coming through
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Wes Bamblett (2022) is a proud Wiradjuri Yorta Yorta man. He is passionate about his Town, Community, Mental Health Services ans issues regarding our youth
- Dominic Goodwin-Hauck (2021) for his commitment to help young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth gain self-esteem and confidence
- Michael Bonnici (2020) for his passion and drive in several interdisciplinary activities and in particular volunteering in Surf Life Saving
- William and Philip Chan (2019) for their numerous works and undertakings for many young people
- Paul Ell (2018) for giving back to others to encourage them to recognise their abilities and strive towards a better future
- Max Rabbett (2017) for working in teaching young underprivileged indigenous Australians all aspects of hospitality
- Kate Murton (2016) for her work in fundraising to build an operating theatre in Bahati, Kenya
- Sophie Roden (2015) for her work in Zambia teaching AIDS awareness and reproductive health
- Julian O’Shea (2014) for his work as a humanitarian engineer in underdeveloped countries
- Jess Jacobson (2013) for her work in developing communities to enable young people to break the poverty cycle through education and vocational skills training
- Brittany Joyce (2012) as a volunteer worker working with HIV infected children in Kenya
- Robert Ma (2011) for establishing a special mentoring program for indigenous high schools to support their studies and aspirations for entry to university
- Nicole Kuepper (2010) for her development of a revolutionary solar cell that can be manufactured at low temperatures using everyday items
- Clary Castrission (2009) for his contribution in the construction of a Learning Centre in Bangalore for severely underprivileged children
- Karangi Public School NSW (2008) for the school community’s efforts in undertaking environmental rehabilitation and sustainability projects
- Angela Bailey (2007) for helping to establish a school for under privileged children in Tanzania
- Melissa Hurd (2006) for working with homeless children in Dhaka, Bangladesh
- James Strong (2005) to undertake vocational education training in the Cook Islands
- Christina Parasyn (2004) for her work with disability programmes in the Maldives
- James Moody (2003) for his work with the UN on sustainable development
- Veronica Anderson (2002) for her rehabilitation and care of youth people through the Youth Off the Streets programme and
- Tammy Van Wysse (2001) for her marathon swim in support of the Murray-Darling system.