Hannah Hammoud
Brimbank’s 2024 young citizen of the year, Alicia Gec says her love for Brimbank is deeply rooted in its diversity.
As a participant in the Brimbank youth council and the Western Bulldogs bark program, a recipient of the Duke of Edinburgh international award, and the junior lord mayor of Melbourne for 2020-21, Alicia has consistently demonstrated her passion for creating a brighter future for young people in Brimbank.
“I am deeply humbled and incredibly grateful to be given this prestigious award for 2024,” she said.
“I love our diverse community that makes Brimbank our home.
“… My grandparents came to Brimbank when they immigrated from Europe more than sixty years ago and remained in Brimbank ever since. Brimbank has and continues to be very special for my family.”
Alicia is a strong advocate for promoting the health and wellbeing in Brimbank and says she wants to play a role in helping to drive positive change for young people in the municipality.
“I would like to inform more people about the terrific resources and programs Brimbank has to offer that encourages and motivates young people to participate in sport. Programs such as in2sport are terrific programs that help children living in Brimbank take part in community sport, regardless of their families financial circumstances. We can spread these programs through school newsletters to get even more children a chance to join a sport,” she said.
“Young people need to keep active as a healthy body is a healthy mind which expresses the theory that physiology is an essential part of mental and psychological well-being. You need these two pieces to be a well-functioning person.
“I’ve been a member of Keilor Little Athletics Center for the past eleven years and it is fantastic. Girls in particular as they get older start dropping out of sport. Their self appearance, body changes and confidence all have an impact on how they view sport. I would like to be an ambassador for the youth of Brimbank encouraging them to speak out when they are not ok and encouraging more young people especially girls to continue or take up a sporting activity.”
In addition to her focus on sports, Alicia is passionate about creating greener spaces in Brimbank. She supports the regional initiative Greening the West, which aims to develop green spaces and increase tree canopy cover to mitigate the impacts of heatwaves.
“We need more trees in our schools and community. This allows greater shade and shelter during the hot weather. As well as providing opportunities for environmental education,” she said.
Alicia’s advice for other young people in Brimbank is to pursue their ideas and advocate for positive change without giving up.
“Remembering that your voice should be heard, especially since the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow. You are full of so much potential and can shape this world by retaining awareness and motivation for positive change through the virtue of what you do,” she said.
Alicia is inspired by the power, idealism, enthusiasm, and courage of young people in Brimbank.
“The youth of Brimbank are so powerful and we cannot afford to let the ideas of our young generation go untapped or unpacked,” she said.
“It’s inspiring to see our youth as active citizens, being involved in decision making and advocating for projects that may have otherwise remained untapped. We live in a great municipality, I would like to empower Brimbank youth to get involved, have a say and make a difference.”
