By CASEY NEILL
PETREA Turner wants to spend her life helping people in need and is already making it happen.
The Dandenong North 18-year-old completed her Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award late last year.
She celebrated her achievement with 79 other recipients at the inaugural Gold Award Gala at Melbourne Town Hall on 6 December, which commemorated the youth development program’s 50th year in Victoria.
Petrea participated in dancing for her physical activity, singing for the award’s skills component and completed community service through school activities.
She assisted Make-A-Wish Australia for her residential project, helping volunteers to set up a trivia night, present at schools, complete office tasks and collect donations.
“I really got a sense of what the charity was about,” she said.
“Members of my family are heavily involved with the organisation, so I thought it would be a great opportunity for me to give back to a charity which means so much to the people I’m close to.”
She went to Suva, Fiji, for her adventurous journey task.
“My uncle at the time was the acting high commissioner,” she said.
“I stayed in the Australian compound. That was almost like a community service team at the same time.”
Petrea attended the Australian Volunteers Night and an AUSAID presentation where she and other young leaders discussed Millennium Development Goals.
“Fiji isn’t one big pretty beach as it is often portrayed to be,” she said.
“These experiences put life into perspective and showed me how lucky I am to be in a situation where I can help others around me.”
She said the trip was a cultural journey and pointed to a saba saba ceremony she was treated to on one of her visits.
“That was the chef’s family’s village,” she said.
“That was a Methodist church village. I saw how they cook food under the ground.
“It made me very appreciative.
“I think that’s really what the journey has done.
“It’s made me realise that I’m in a position to help others so I should.”
Petrea planned to start an arts/law degree at university this year.
“I really want to work in the area of social justice. I think it’s really important,” she said.
“I don’t just want to get heaps of money.
“I’d love to work somewhere like VCAT or at city councils informing new people who’ve just arrived in the country.”
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Victoria CEO Anoushka Gungadin said the award provided young Victorians with the opportunity to learn essential life skills.
“We are very proud of our gold awardees. They are extremely hard working and dedicated individuals that achieve great things for their communities,” she said.
“The Gold Award Gala is a great way to acknowledge their accomplishments and celebrate Victoria’s future leaders.”
