MEDIA RELEASE - National Recognition for West Arnhem Youth Leadership Summit

West Arnhem Regional Council is proud to announce that its leading youth initiative, the West Arnhem Youth Leadership Summit, has been named a Category Winner in the 2025 National Awards for Local Government.

Taking out the ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People’s Recognition’ category, the award was accepted by Mayor James Woods at the ceremony in Canberra on Thursday night.

“As Mayor, I couldn’t be more proud or honoured to represent the powerful communities of West Arnhem Land,” said Mayor Woods.

“The next generation of leaders have a promising future through incredible community-led opportunities like the Youth Leadership Summit. Through this project, we’re already seeing youth-led change, as young people present their ideas and priorities directly to community leaders and service providers.”

The West Arnhem Youth Leadership Summit was developed to elevate the voices of young people across the region. The Summit brings together students from across West Arnhem to explore leadership, identity, and action in their communities.

During the program, participants identify the most pressing issues facing their communities and work collaboratively to propose solutions - offering valuable insights to local services and decision-makers.

Council acknowledges the invaluable support of the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), the Department of Education and Local West Arnhem schools, Amanda Marshall and her team at Youth Engagement Project for the content design and facilitation, community leaders, and most importantly, the young people themselves in making the West Arnhem Youth Leadership Summit a success.

Mayor Woods looks forward to sharing the award with the young leaders in Maningrida, Gunbalanya, Warruwi, Minjilang and Jabiru and with the dedicated team who brought the project to life.

ENDS