ISSUE 11 MARCH 2020
Joe Michell Award Winners The 2019 Joe Michell Award went to four very deserving winners, Jack Day, Asha Melville, Ashleigh Johannes and Madison Heady. The Joe Michell award was launched in 2003, in honour of the late Joe Michell, one of Ability Centre’s founders. The Michell family founded this award to recognise his passion for education and to celebrate the achievements of young adults with disability. Asha Melville has been an Ability Centre customer since she was four. She was always enjoyed being around children and is now pursuing a career in early childhood education. Asha will be using her award to undertake a four unit course called Uniprep as part of her final year in school, with the goal of attending university to study a Bachelor of Education Early Childhood.
2019 Award Winners Jack Day, Asha Mellville, Ashleigh Johannes and Madison Heady
Ashleigh Johannes has just graduated from high school and has been accepted into Edith Cowan University to study a Bachelor of Youth Work. With this award, Ashleigh hopes to empower young people with a disability to build life skills, develop healthy relationships and facilitate good decision making. She wants to build a career where she can pass on what she has learned and experienced to help and inspire others.
Madison Heady, another recent high school graduate intends to study Business and Community Services through TAFE. She will use this award to complete a public speaking course through the Emotional Intelligence Institute. In the future Madison wants to set up her own motivational public speaking and mentoring business, to create more awareness about disability and inclusion with the community and to inspire young people living with disability.
Jack Day is also a recent high school graduate and is looking forward to transitioning to university, where he will begin a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Jack spoke of his desire for independence in his application, and how the challenges he has faced growing up with a disability has driven him to succeed both physically and emotionally.
Chief Executive Officer Jacquie Thomson said, “This year’s applicants were a very high calibre. The panel of judges was impressed with the enthusiasm and passion they have for building an inclusive community in their chosen fields. I am very excited to learn about their future achievements.” The 2020 Joe Michell Award will open in September.