Khayshie Tilak Ramesh is a passionate advocate for the inclusion of youth voices and diverse communities. Khayshie is also a Victorian Multicultural Youth Commissioner

Khayshie is an active member of her local community in Bendigo, as Youth Mayor and Chair of the City of Greater Bendigo Youth Council. She also co-founded and served as Vice-President of Young People for Refugees, a youth advocacy service in Bendigo.

Khayshie is a Board Director of Loddon Campaspe Multicultural Services and ARC Justice; a member of Ambulance Victoria Community Advisory Committee and City of Greater Bendigo Economic Strategy Committee; and was a member of the Victorian Government’s Multicultural Youth Network. She is also a Multicultural Ambassador for Bendigo Foodshare. Khayshie was recognised as Young Citizen of the Year in 2017 and was named in the Top 100 Future Leaders.

In 2019, Khayshie was awarded the Law Institute of Victoria’s Law Student of the Year.

Barry Beith is the Founder of Young Australian People

His background is predominantly as a youth worker in the City of Melbourne and Flemington, working with Co-Health, volunteering for CMY, and currently working for the YMCA as a customer service officer.

The programs Barry is designing would cater to young people from 16 to 25, from CALD backgrounds who are looking for work or networking in the community. The unique element to this program is that previous students will become future trainers after their placement, establishing a network of mentors and mentees across Melbourne for ongoing leadership and community engagement.

Barry has previous experience running similar programs and after seeing how successful they can be he is looking to securing more funding for the programs.

Isabella Fumiaro is a year 10 student

Over the course of three years Isabella has become very involved within her school and the western community. Isabella achieved a community and ‘virtue and courage’ award. This award was based on: becoming a social justice leader at school and designing a badge demonstrating the hard work in which students achieved during covid lockdowns.

Isabella has also been active in the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation ‘Youth Leadership program’ as well as the ongoing ‘Bark for Youth program’ (which she designed the logo for), as well as being a junior footy player for the local Spotswood club. Isabella aspires to become a successful digital designer and/or in the field of influencer marketing.

Isabella believes Governments should give youth platforms to speak in a way that we can be heard, and our words will actually be taken into account and allow us to become collaborators in the design of programs.

Milla Morgan is a proud Wiradjuri woman. She is 18 years old and was her school’s first ever Aboriginal schools captain in 2020. She is an aspiring artist and leader, hoping to create and lead change for her people and communities. Milla is also a strong advocate for equality.

Speaking to Stars Foundation last year she hoped her own culturally diverse background – she has an Italian mother and an Aboriginal father – will help her to connect with a wide range of students at Mildura Senior College.

“I really want for each and every student to feel like their voice is valued – in a school this big you don’t want one group of people making all the decisions. Everyone should be involved in those processes.” Milla says she hopes her success will inspire other Indigenous girls to aim high.

“I am proud to be the first Indigenous School Captain, but I would like to see this as normal thing by inspiring our up and coming Stars members.

“I’d love to show them that you can do your best and succeed. I just really want to show them that they can do anything!”

“I look forward to the challenges of 2020, which I am determined to embrace and overcome. My success is definitely due to the support of my family, Stars Foundation and Mildura Senior College.”