The society and all the possibilities

My name is Grace and I’m the Youth Representative for the Wagga Central Council Region.

I started volunteering for Vinnies when I was in year 12 in 2017, where I was involved in a refugee homework help program, and my passion for the society and all the possibilities for it to help others has only kept growing. Working at a grassroots level and seeing the progression of the new St. Sebastian’s youth conference in Wagga has been hugely fulfilling, and I can’t wait to see more youth across the vast region jumping into Vinnies work and doing good works for people in need.

As a person, I have so many interests and see so many needs in the community it is hard to know where to begin. I guess a big part of my desire is to see people being more supported in rural and regional communities, bringing opportunities and sustainable growth to country areas. One reflection of this is the amount of homelessness in rural/regional Australia that has been silenced. I think more people are starting to realise that these issues exist, however there is still such a lack of understanding and support for these people, and a lot of emergency and government housing is overburdened and undervalued, dehumanising people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity further. Having the ability to participate in the last two community sleepouts and feeling like I’m making a difference in an area I care about is such a great feeling. 

It’s no secret that I am very passionate about social justice issues, and I think young people such as myself can address this and further the positive impacts which Vinnies has all over the country and the world. At a personal level, Vinnies has provided me with so many new connections, skills, and friends from all over the state. Seeing other young people who care about others the way I do is the most inspiring thing for me personally, and I hope that I can be that inspiring person for others going forward. 

Written by Grace Rosser, Wagga Wagga Youth Representative & Member of St Sebastien’s Youth and Young Adult Conference.

 

Vinnies Youth Representative, Grace