First National Real Estate has recognised four more young Australians for their community leadership by presenting them with the First National Real Estate Leadership & Innovation Awards through the 2019 Seven News Young Achiever Awards.
The winners announced across four states at separate awards functions included:
Victoria – Yasmin Poole, 20, of Williamstown (First National Leadership Award)
Yasmin is the Director of Global Business Development for 180 Degrees Consulting, a youth consultancy organisation, and has sought to empower young women to enter politics.
As 2018 Chair of the Victorian Government’s Youth Congress, she led the Congress in advising the government about improving youth policy and focus on mental health.
Yasmin represented Australia at the 2018 APEC conference and ASEAN – Australia Special Summit. She was also named an ambassador for Plan International and the World Bank.
A survivor of severe scoliosis, Yasmin won the Zonta International Women in Business Award and was recognised as Victorian Government Joan Kirner Young and Emerging Woman Leader.
Winners in Victoria each received a trophy, $1,000 into an account in their name from Bank of Melbourne, and a $1,000 Bartercard account from Wheelton Philanthropy and Budget Rent A Car.
South Australia – Sean Grealy, 23, of Morphettville (First National Leadership Award)
Sean received his award for his commitment to improving aged care services.
He founded Care Konnect, a suite of software enabling better communication and service quality in aged care, to solve his family’s own problem when his grandfather entered aged care services for the first time.
Care Konnect brings together ageing and vulnerable people, their families, and care providers, reducing social isolation, promoting healthy ageing and overall service transparency.
Care Konnect is working with aged care providers nationally and expects to connect more than 3,000 families in 2019.
Sean contributes to his community by working with early stage start-ups with the University of Adelaide ThincLab and Hacker Exchange program across Israel, America, France and Australia.
In South Australia, each winner received $1,000 Award prize courtesy of Axsys, along with a $1,000 Bartercard account and a trophy.
Sean received a State trophy, a further $2,000 from Axsys, an additional $1,000 Bartercard account, plus a Hilton Hotels holiday package provided by Hilton Adelaide.
Western Australia – Briege Whitehead, 27, of Karrinyup (First National Innovation Award)
Briege is a producer, director and writer who has worked on multiple international factual series such as 72 Places to Live and 72 Cutest Animals produced for National Geographic and Netflix and The Antarctica Experience, a ground-breaking VR documentary.
She owns White Spark Pictures, a production company specialising in international factual television and Virtual Reality.
Briege was nominated for ‘Best Interactive’ at the Australian Atom Awards and WA Screen Awards.
Her short drama Crumbs, has earned official selection in Cannes Antipodes, St. Kilda Film Festival, St Tropez International Film Festival and Perth International Revelation Film Festival.
Winners in Western Australia each received a trophy, $1,000 Bartercard account, $500 cash, and a $500 Woolworths Gift Card.
Tasmania – Samuel Watson, 18, of Ulverstone (First National Leadership Award)
Samuel is an advocate for LGBTIQ rights. He was Head Boy and Student Representative at The Friends’ School providing a strong focus on diversity.
A senior Navy Cadet, Samuel mentored 10 refugees through a 10-day Rotary Windeward Bound Youth Leadership Challenge.
He is an Advisory Group member for the Commission for Children and Young People and served on the Hobart Youth Advisory Squad.
As 2018 Youth Deputy Premier, his group passed a Gender Equality Bill that was handed to government.
He has also patrolled Tasmanian beaches for more 250 hours and has been his club’s Surf Life Saver of the Year.
