The Gold Coast’s everyday heroes have been recognised for their valuable contributions to the community.
Mayor Tom Tate and Queensland Police Service Assistant Commissioner Brian Wilkins announced the five winners at the biennial Safer Suburbs Awards today.
“These dedicated individuals and organisations were chosen for their outstanding effort and commitment to improving safety on the coast,” said Mayor Tate.
“We thank them for their dedication to our city and for creating a more connected and resilient community.”
There were 35 nominations received across four categories including Individual, Not-for-profit group, Project and Business. A Meritorious Award was also awarded.
Individual Category – Kareem Baba
Kareem is making a positive impact on the Gold Coast by assisting vulnerable people in the community through weekly volunteering efforts with the Multicultural Social Network. His efforts involve distributing meals twice a week to people experiencing homelessness and victims of domestic and family violence.
Not-for-profit Category –TMC Thriving Multicultural Communities
TMC started a health and wellbeing check-in initiative to support the community through the impacts of social isolation due to COVID-19. Using a variety of communication channels, the organisation connected with residents to provide essential emotional support and helped build resilience through translated resources.
Project Category – Youth Justice Co-Responder Program
This program was initiated to proactively engage with youth at risk of offending behaviour and provide support with the aim of diverting young people away from the criminal justice system. The Youth Justice Co-Responder Program involves the collective expertise of two agencies to provide an after-hours response.
Business Category – Virtue Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Virtue Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu supports the community by offering safety workshops at no cost to the community. These workshops provide strategies to combat the effects of bullying, support mental health and wellbeing and provide skills to increase confidence in a supportive atmosphere.
Meritorious Award – Wesley Mission’s YHES House
YHES House (Youth, Health and Education Service) at Southport coordinates a youth-friendly space to make sure young people feel welcomed, listened to and respected. The organisation builds positive relationships, helps young people reach their goals and connects with them in a creative way including through outreach.
