Dubbo's 2022 Young Citizen of the Year Taje Fowler says she loves what she does and learns so much from the young people whose lives she's blessed to be part of.
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The 24-year-old received the honour at the city's Australia Day awards ceremony in Victoria Park on Wednesday.
The Citizen of the Year Award was won by river rejuvenation champion and fishing champion Matthew Hansen.
Ms Fowler, a proud descendant of the Wurundjeri nation with family connection to the Wiradjuri nation, recently completed a Bachelor of Community and Social Development for Indigenous Communities, the first in her family to complete a university degree.
Ms Fowler started volunteering at Apollo House assisting with Skillbuilders afterschool activities.
She is a painter and has helped the kids create community murals for NAIDOC Day and another at Western Plains Cultural Centre.
During the recent COVID-19 crisis in Dubbo, Ms Fowler rolled up her sleeves to support the community, especially those living in Apollo Estate.
She developed kids' packs to keep kids busy in lockdown and volunteered her time on the weekends to complete a mobile testing unit with NSW Health, committed to running a pop-up vaccination clinic at Apollo House and started a 24-hour social media platform so young people could always have someone to talk to.
She also made home-cooked meals to deliver to people in isolation.
She was appointed as a member of the NSW 2021 Regional Youth Taskforce, where she represented the Central West and Orana region.
Ms Fowler said her culture motivated her.
I'm a First Nations woman, and I really want to see our young people, no matter your background be able to be holistically supported to live their best life.
- Taje Fowler
"I'm a First Nations woman, and I really want to see our young people, no matter your background be able to be holistically supported to live their best life," she said.
"So that really drives me in what I do every day, because I know our young people have the potential, it's only by giving them the opportunities to grow and develop that they get them.
"I love what I do and I learn so much from the young people whose lives I'm a part of.
"As much as I give, they give back so it's really a growing and developing relationship where we all gain from it, and that's why I feel like you know it does take a community to raise a child and I'm just doing one small part of being a part of their lives, which I'm so blessed to be a part of."
Ms Fowler grew up at Narromine, where she did her primary schooling, before attending St John's College for high school.
She was presented with her award by Australia Day ambassador Lyndey Milan OAM and Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson, with some of her biggest supporters watching on.
"I have my family [here], I have some of the Apollo House crew, LeaderLife crew, so Johanna Leader, Alex Boney, and Uncle Frank Doolan, an elder in our community who has just come out to support me, which I feel really blessed," Ms Fowler said.
"And some of the kids in the community, on the way to the pool have come to say hello, so that was really sweet."
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Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
