SWAN View Noongar woman Keisha Reed (20) has been nominated for the Department of Communities young women leader award.

The award is part of the Channel 7NEWS young achievers award and acknowledges and celebrates the commitment of young women in initiating and instilling change in the lives of women and girls locally, nationally and internationally.

Ms Reed has helped create change through her work as a student support officer at Midland Learning Academy where she provided cultural support and advocacy for Aboriginal students, particularly young girls.

“What inspired me was to show the young girls that anything and everything is achievable when you say yes,” Ms Reed said.

“The thing that most stands out about me is that I have and always will be a big sister to young girls who need that person in their life.

“I have always been the type of person to help others but also to teach others.”

She said her culture influenced everything she does and she would always teach and learn about her culture.

Drawing on her experiences with programs like the Aurora Foundation and Girls Academy, Ms Reed now supports the next generation by helping them build confidence, connect with their culture and feel proud of who they are.

Through her involvement with the Miss NAIDOC program last year, Ms Reed said she was also using her platform to help inspire young Indigenous girls to take up opportunities, strengthen their identity and see themselves as future leaders within their community.

“I have achieved many skills and leadership roles within the community, becoming a role model for young girls and women in our communities,” Ms Reed said.

“As I worked at Curtin University in my first job, I was able to go to Darwin for a conference with some of the young students talking about our program teaching culture in schools.

“I have also run my own programs with Koya Aboriginal Corporation for young girls and my program at Midland Learning Academy helped teach culture and create a culturally safe environment for youth to express themselves.”

Ms Reed said through these experiences her confidence had grown and she was now able to do Welcome to Country ceremonies and acknowledgements in front of crowds.

She said if she was successful in the awards competition she would use the victory to help young girls as she was once in their shoes.

“Being a coach has helped me be who I am and while working with Koya I became a big sister to so many young girls who I still look out for and teach them the lessons they need to be good role models for their little sisters or their daughters of their own,” Ms Reed said.