ABC HEYWIRE PROJECT

Each year the ABC, in partnership with the Australian Government, runs the Heywire Project which is an annual regional youth project. The  Heywire cycle begins with a storytelling competition - open to people aged 16-22, living in regional or rural Australia. Heywire encourages young people to tell stories about their lives outside the major cities in text, photo, video, or audio format.

Each year, every ABC regional station selects a winning Heywire Competition entry to represent their part of Australia. The young winners work with ABC staff to produce their story to be featured on ABC Radio and abc.net.au. Heywire stories are renowned for their honesty and for giving us a window into the lives of young people in regional Australia.

Lauren Cordingley, now a Year 12 student was selected as the winner of the Heywire competition for our region. Lauren wrote about her experience and the need for young people in rural areas with Eating Disorders to have better access to services that would assist them in their recovery. Her story is accessible through this link if you would like to read it. 

https://www.abc.net.au/heywire/hw24-vic-kerang-lauren/103131958 

Lauren along with the other winners experienced an all-expenses-paid trip to the Heywire Summit, designed to ensure their voices are heard in Canberra and around the nation. Over the week participants undertake leadership workshops and meet with members of parliament, government departments, and community leaders to develop ideas to help improve the lives of young people in regional Australia. 

Well done to Lauren on such a wonderful achievement.