How Port Hedland’s young leaders want to shape the Pilbara town they call home

In celebration of WA Youth Week, young Port Hedland locals have revealed their hopes for the future of the mining town across the arts, sport, society and the environment. The week acknowledges people under 25 across the State who are making a difference. Youth Involvement Council youth services co-ordinator Karen Cooper said Hedland’s next generation were resilient. “The young people of the Hedland are unique as they live in an extremely remote setting, so face isolation as well as extreme conditions as it is a very hot, dry part of the world,” she said. “It takes some grit, determination and adaptability to navigate these challenges. “We see determined, self-reliant, resilient and courageous young people every day at YIC.” A more sustainable future Hedland’s 2021 youth citizen of the year Bayden Rae is paving the way for a brighter more sustainable future, leading young and adult locals in local community garden workshops. Baydon hopes to write a gardening book for kids and said he wanted to see Hedland become a greener, more sustainable town in the future through education. “My future hopes for Hedland is to see more recycling, but to see things being reused as a first option,” he said. “I would like to see more electric vehicles within the mining and construction industry (and) also like to see lots more trees planted to green our streets and help bring the town temperature down.” Equal opportunities for Indigenous youth For diamond sports prodigy Tyrell Stewart, closing the gap between opportunities for Indigenous and non- Indigenous people is vital for the thriving future of the mining town. Tyrell, the first Indigenous person to receive a baseball scholarship through the National Athletics Association pathway, said he wanted to see a level playing field for Aboriginal youth. “The sky is the limit and I think the younger group just need people to have hope in them,” he said. “I want to be a leader for the younger Aboriginal kids to say that you can go anywhere and the sky is the limit if you work hard and be on top of your preferred sport or studies.” Bully-free schools Kohbi Barrow wants to see a town free from bullying with the addition of school programs to raise awareness of its impacts and encourage action. The youngster is planning a Do It For Dolly walk later this year to bring attention to the issue and wants to see as many people as possible involved. “I want to see less bullying in schools and more places where kids can be themselves,” he said. Connection through the arts The arts is all about connectivity, and this sense of togetherness is vital in rural towns like Hedland, according to local performers Emmy and Katherine Whitehead. The sisters, who are leading the way in the entertainment space, both hope Hedland’s future involves a thriving arts scene. Katherine, pictured left, said the arts were vital to the future of the town. “(The arts is) good for a small town because it is empowering and it gives you that sense of belonging,” she said. “We are very small compared to some places, and it’s just irreplaceable. “I think it is really important that the arts stay alive and that our young people remain involved in it.”