Coinciding with National Volunteer Week (18-24 May), Nuriootpa High School student Haylie attended the annual South Australian Volunteer Awards ceremony on Monday at Government House where she was named as the Volunteering SA&NT 2026 Young Volunteer of the Year.

Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia and patron of Volunteering SA&NT, presented Haylie with the prestigious award and spoke with Haylie about her advocacy work.

A member of the Nuriootpa High School Student Representative Council, Haylie’s commitment to make a difference extends far beyond school. Her involvement in projects such as the South Australian Youth Forum and We Are Not Alone are driving change at a community, state and national level.

As member of the Barossa sub-branch (@wrna_barossa) of We Are Not Alone, Haylie has led a number of local initiatives and events, such as the recent Silent Disco at the Nuriootpa Soldiers Memorial Hall which was designed specifically as a free event for local young people living with disability.

Earlier this year Haylie attended the National Youth Forum in Canberra, and as an active member of a range of number of local and state-wide youth advocacy groups continues to work tirelessly to improve the opportunity, inclusion and wellbeing of young regional South Australians.

Image courtesy of the office of the Governor of South Australia.