Unsung heroes: Raya Noonan is dedicated to giving back to the community

When we think of community leaders, we often think of adults with decades of experience and dedicated service to the town they call home. But one South West teenager is proving age is just a number, creating quite an extensive community resume for herself at just 15 years of age. Burekup resident Raya Noonan is passionate about giving back to the South West community, one she has been a part of since birth, actively involved in local youth groups, community events and charity causes. With a particular personal interest in environment and sustainability, the teenager said her passion was harvested by the naturally beautiful surrounds she has grown up in. “I love the environment that we live in, all the trees,” she said. “We also have the Collie River right there so it’s nice getting to be around that . . . I’m big on nature, too, so it’s lovely having the opportunity to see and be around it all the time.” Eager to get involved in her local community, the Bunbury Catholic College student joined the Shire of Dardanup’s Youth Advisory Group in 2021, and hasn’t looked back. The group focuses on sharing young people’s ideas, skills and views with the community and council, providing them with a platform to contribute to community development. The 15-year-old said she felt it was important for people to get involved in their local community. “I know this is said a lot but we are the future,” she said. “A lot of stuff that will happen in the future is in our hands, and I feel like we need to act towards that future and make sure it is a welcoming, safe, happy environment and to create a community where people can feel safe and welcome.” She said the group helped to improve her confidence and encourages others to get involved. “Even though I can be a bit introverted and I don’t always feel as though I fit in, through the YAG I’ve managed to find a place in the community where I can belong,” she said. “I can’t thanks to my friends, family and the Shire enough. “I just love doing all the volunteering, all the things we do in the community and being able to share our voices.” Throughout her two year involvement with the YAG, Raya has been a part of multiple community events including the inaugural 2022 ‘Eco-Con’, which she helped co-ordinate. Combining her interests of community work and sustainability, the conference aimed to teach young people how they can be more environmentally friendly. “We’ve got to bring awareness to a lot of the issues that are going on in the environment and we’ve just got to share facts with the community on how to be greener in our everyday lives,” she said. “Even the smallest thing can make a really big impact, I know for me I like to turn off all the lights at night when they aren’t in use, the same with leaky taps. . . all the energy and water that is being used and wasted is just ridiculous when you put it all together.” A highly successful event, the YAG was named a finalist for the State Government’s Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Award for 2022 in the young legends category, getting the opportunity to present their ideas to local MP Nola Marino to take to the State Government. Later that same year, Ms Noonan participated in youth leadership training with the Youth Advisory Council of Western Australia, working with youth groups across the state to “engender and enhance” community attitudes towards young people. Using these skills, she went on to participate in the 2022 Bull and Barrell festival, where she served as a role model for young children in the puppet making workshop. Raya was invited to design the frog puppet, which was built and operated by her, together with a team of other youth. Having been involved in the festival, as both an attendee and a participant, from a young age she said this was a full-circle moment. “I loved having the opportunity to be a bit of a leader and have all the responsibility that I was given and trusted with,” she said. “We all had small parts to play but having that responsibility to know what to do, and how to do it. . . it was just so fun... and so good to know that well, I’m doing something (to help others.)” Her tireless service was recognised by the Shire of Dardanup at the 2023 Australia Day ceremony, where the teenager was named the young community citizen of the year, saying she was “shocked but delighted” by the news. Raya has been supported every step of the way by her parents and three siblings. Her mother Vicki said she was in awe of everything her daughter has achieved. “We are all super proud of her,” she said. “Just in the last year, I’ve just seen her absolutely blossom and the YAG has really given her a lot of confidence.” And if all this wasn’t enough already, at the beginning of the year, the teenager decided to say goodbye to her luscious locks and donate her hair to be made into wigs for cancer patients. Raising more than $1200 for the Cancer Council, she said she wasn’t afraid to part ways with her hair, which previously came below her waist. “I felt, to me, my hair was long enough as it is,” she laughed. “It was on my mind for some time as something I wanted to do in my life. . . I just thought why not now?” “I was a bit nervous right before but I was mostly looking forward to it. . . afterwards it was just one of the best moments.” And while she remains a dedicated community citizen, the student also has a deep love of the arts, playing five instruments throughout her lifetime as well as being a skilled artist, admitting a graphite pencil to be her “best friend.” Last month, Raya appeared in her school’s musical production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, and has just been selected as part of the youth chorus for the upcoming WA Opera production of Koolbardi Wer Wardong set to perform in August. She said no matter what direction life took her, the arts would “definitely” have a secure place in her life. “I’m still thinking what I’m going to do for a main career but I know that I am always going to be an artist,” she said.