BRIGHT'S Resilient Alpine Youth Squad has been named as one of the winners at the 2024 Youth Affairs Council Victoria's (YACVic) Rural Youth Awards.

The public awards ceremony is held once every two years, sponsored by the Victorian Government’s Office for Youth and celebrates the incredible work young people, youth workers and community groups achieve and their contributions in creating positive change in rural and regional Victoria.

The Bright Youth Squad won the award in a brand new category: ‘Outstanding Youth Participation in Community-Based Disaster Resilience’.

“Young people are increasingly taking active roles in many aspects of their community, including planning and responding to threats of climate and disasters in their local communities," head of YACVic Rural, Derm Ryan said.

"This new award category is an opportunity to recognise their contributions to these challenges."

YACVic Rural is a key service of YACVic which provides targeted statewide advocacy for young people in regional communities and the rural youth sector.

Hosted at Parliament House on Thursday, September 26, Minister for Youth, Natalie Suleyman presented the award to the Bright team.

“I’m so pleased to celebrate the contributions these young people and youth workers have made in rural and regional Victoria­­," Ms Suleyman said.

"Congratulations to the winners, finalists and nominees for their contributions to their communities and our state."

Lara May, a Bright Resilient Alpine Youth Squad member, was also shortlisted for the 'Youth Worker Making a Difference in Rural or Regional Victoria’ award.