Mid West young achievers recognised for inspiring work in their communities at Channel 7 young achiever awards

Two Mid West residents have been recognised for inspiring work in their respective communities at the Seven News Young Achiever Awards on Friday evening. Cohen Taylor, a proud Noongar Yamatji police officer stationed in Morawa, took home the National Indigenous Times Indigenous Community Leadership Award. “I don’t really come from a background of a lot of cheerleading so it does feel good to know that people are cheering for me and supporting me,” Mr Taylor said. Const. Taylor was nominated after playing a formative role in organising sports teams, youth emergency service programs and helping the Morawa Blue Light Unit. His exemplary engagement and leadership skills have been consistently recognised by his community, prompting his nomination. “I’m very grateful,” the 24-year-old said. “I don’t do this stuff for recognition, I just put my head down and get it done so it’s nice to know some people are watching. “It wouldn’t be possible without the community, I want the kids to see me and think ‘I can do that’, that’s why I do it.” Kalbarri resident Grace Crogan spent years supporting regional arts and helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for her hometown after being hit cyclone Seroja. “It was a surprise, honestly,” the 21-year-old said. “A friend, a regional worker, nominated me and it came at a hard time so it meant a lot.” Ms Crogan’s introduction to volunteering and the regional art scene began when she organised a youth arts group for the 2016 Kalbarri Zest Festival. Since then, she has been an active part of the regional art scene, volunteering and working for groups such as Regional Arts WA, Euphorium and Perth Festival, and climbed the ranks to become an executive board director and secretary for RAWA, where she continues to advocate for regional youth. “I’ve closed a couple of doors with the belief and intention that it will create space for new opportunities of this nature,” she said. “That award is so much bigger than myself. “I really believe that nothing is achieved in isolation and that recognition and acknowledgement goes so much further than me. “It’s really acknowledgement, to everyone who supported and mentored me and has been part of projects that I’ve been dealing with, which have allowed us to create impact.”