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

• literacy, education, training and employment opportunities and

• the promotion of youth leadership exchange.

Past recipients of the Tom Harvey Award for Citizenship:

• Jackson Bialobrzeski and Jenna Smith (2024) for their contribution to the community - Balranald and Central Coast. Jenna for her work in raising funds for homeless animals and Jackson to retain young people in Balranald by providing resources to live, work and study in the comminity
• 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

• 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.