ABC Heywire winners celebrate stories of life across regional and rural Australia
Strength, perseverance, and optimism feature strongly in the stories from the 2023 ABC Heywire winners.
Since its inception in 1998, Heywire has become a powerful platform for rural youth, putting them at the centre of the conversations that shape their communities.
Hundreds of Australians aged 16 to 22 from regional, rural and remote areas entered the competition by speaking openly and candidly about life beyond our major cities, through written stories, photos, videos or audio recordings.
From dreams of representing Australia in the Paralympics, to supporting young people living with a chronic illness, speaking up against racial discrimination, rebuilding after disaster, using art as a vessel for healing and listening and learning from country, the 39 Heywire winners' stories explore their capacity for resilience, amplify their voices and foster their ability to advocate for the issues that matter.
Heywire winner Jo is a proud sistagirl from Ngukurr, a remote Indigenous community in the Northern Territory. She wants her story to help other LGBTQIA+ young people feel less alone, "I hope it will inspire all people who have faced the same challenges as I did."
Judith Whelan, ABC Director Regional & Local, congratulated this year's competition winners on their engaging and authentic stories.
"The stories from this year's Heywire winners provide a real window into the lives of young people living in regional Australia. What is uplifting about them is that they celebrate regional communities and the things that make them unique.
"Their stories speak of the challenges of life outside our big cities but also reveal inspiring ideas on how their communities can make the most of their strengths and potential."
The Hon Kristy McBain, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories said, "I congratulate all 39 Heywire storytelling competition winners for sharing their stories, which demonstrate the great resilience of these young leaders living in Australia's regions and the adversity they've overcome."
"Heywire plays an important role in empowering young regional, rural and remote Australians to share their stories and ideas to the nation, encouraging their journeys as they continue to enact the change they want to see in our country.
“Young people are the leaders of tomorrow, which is why the Australian Government is proud to be an ongoing sponsor of the program — investing in young leaders and their ideas to ensure a strong future for regional Australia."
Advocates, pilots, LGBTQIA+ allies, Indigenous youth leaders, photographers, medical students, law students, musical theatre performers, rouseabouts, and artists are just a few examples of the winners who have worked with the ABC to produce their stories for radio and online, the results of which are available via the ABC Heywire website.
Heywire winners share individual stories specific to their lived experience of the place they call home. The experience of growing up in Lockhart River, Queensland, with 3G is different to a childhood on a farm in Wagin, Western Australia and different again to coming out at an all-boys country boarding school in Tamworth, NSW.
Because of this complexity, the 2023 winners are passionate about creating common ground. Heywire winner jack, from Tamworth, Wiradjrui Country, said: "After the past three years we need to rebuild our lives again to some normality, not alone but together."
He spent his lockdown wrestling with his identity and knows firsthand the importance of finding a safe community and feeling connected.
Charlee from Heyfield, Victoria, Gunaikurnai Country, agreed: "I want other young Australians to realise they aren't alone, that the youth of Australia have a voice." Charlee is using her voice to advocate for more support for people suffering from chronic illness in regional, rural or remote Australia. "I want others to read my story with a new perspective on chronic pain."
ABC Heywire is supported by: The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts; Department of Health and Aged Care; Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and AgriFutures Australia.
The Riverina region winner was Shayan, from Wagga Wagga, who stays connected to their culture by making Persian a part of their post-migration life: https://www.abc.net.au/heywire/heywire-winner-shayan-nsw/101685886
You can read the fresh perspectives of young people from right across regional, rural and remote Australia here: https://www.abc.net.au/heywire/winners/