Proudly supported by the Australian Health Promotion Association (AHPA) (Vic/Tas), this category recognises a young emerging health promotion student (or recent graduate) or volunteer aged 18-25 who demonstrates passion and energy in improving the health and wellbeing of members of their local community or organisation.
2022 finalists for the Future Changemaker Award
Emily Unity
Since the age of 14 years old, Emily Unity has volunteered in youth mental health and worked with children, young people, families and carers across Victoria. They have championed system-wide reforms and ensured that lived experience is at the heart of every project, policy and process. Emily works as the Lived Experience Lead at the Royal Children’s Hospital facilitating engagement across the hospital and founded their own businesses, a multicultural mental health promotion platform, Multicultural Minds, and the creative mental health promotion platform, Mental Health Gallery.
Krushnadevsinh Ravalji (Kano)
Krushnadevsinh (Kano) Ravalji is an independent youth and diversity advocate. He often works with young people and multicultural communities to promote inclusion, healthy living and physical activity. Kano works on multiple youth-led projects, is a public speaker and also mentors Year 12 VCE students in leadership roles. He worked with the North Melbourne Football Club – The Huddle to encourage young multicultural people to receive their COVID-19 vaccinations.
Zoe Nikakis
enliven Victoria
Following her time as a health promotion volunteer, Zoe Nikakis is now employed at enliven Victoria and currently completing a Master of Public Health. Her creativity and passion strengthened enliven Victoria's Food from Home program to create a food-secure future for people across the Cardinia Shire area. In 2018, she received the Public Health Excellence Award at Monash University for her efforts to improve and promote health equity.