Branches & Regional Groups :: NSW :: Youth Community Service Awards

In 1992 the late Dr John Lincoln AM, on behalf of of the New South Wales Branch, created a new initiative for young people to be awarded the youth community service awards. Each year 20 candidates are selected and honoured at a special ceremony at Government House in Sydney.

November 2011 Youth Community Service Awards

The founder of these awards, the late Dr John Lincoln AM some years ago recorded the background to their establishment:

In early 1992, I became concerned that secondary school students were unaware of the high principles and prestige of the Order of Australia. I thought that the Association should give recognition to students with an excellent record of community service. I thought we should involve all schools - Departmental, Systemic and Independent - by inviting the Principal of the School to nominate students worthy of consideration.

In implementing the idea two things were important - that the honour should be distinctive but yet quite separate from the Order itself. To achieve this we limited the awardees to twenty each year and the student would receive the Certificate and Medallion which could not be confused with the insignia worn by Members of the Order.

Implementation of the scheme necessitated co-operation by the Department of School Education and the Catholic Education Commission. Whilst Deputy Chairman of our Association I attended a dinner in Newcastle where I took the opportunity to discuss the proposal with the Hon. Virginia Chadwick, then Minister for School Education. On my return I received a letter from Dr Ken Boston, Director-General, which stated "the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs has approved your proposal and I am pleased to join her in supporting this worthwhile initiative". Both the Department and the Catholic Education Commission have been supportive of the scheme and have facilitated our contact with school principals.

Each year copies of the nominations and supportive material are given to the selectors and I arrange for them to meet at Macquarie University where the Vice-Chancellor, Emeritus Professor Di Yerbury AO is a selector. The other selectors have been Vice-Admiral David Leach AC, CBE, LVO and Emeritus Professor John Collins AM. The Certificate and Medallion are presented by the Governor at Government House.

	After the awards presentation, on 19 November 2003, the NSW Governor Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO is shown with recipient Arthur Cheng & the Principal of Killara High School.

The initiative taken by someawardees is notable such as where two school girls upon visiting a village in Africa on vacation found the school children had no classroom and by their efforts the girls made possible the erection of a building for the school. I think it is appropriate that our Association should give encouragement by awarding our Certificate and Medallion.

AWARDEES...

CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION (presented at their school)...

• Certificate of Recognition 2004
• Certificate of Recognition 2005
  
Certificate of Recognition 2007
Certificate of Recognition 2008

To foster love of and pride in Australian citizenship and to uphold the high principles and prestige of the Order of Australia
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