“Supporting young people is at the heart of everything I do” | Adina Dawod
Multicultural Youth Support Medal, sponsored by STARTTS
After school in Fairfield, young people gather at a local youth centre. Some play football or air hockey. Others sit and talk or just spend time together.
Many have experienced displacement, uncertainty or the challenges of starting again in a new country.
But here, they are not defined by their past.
They are simply young people spending time with friends.
Supporting them is Adina Dawod.
Adina was just a baby when her family fled Iraq.
Today, she works with young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds building new lives in Australia.
“From a young age, I helped my family with translating, assisting with paperwork and booking their appointments,” she said.
“Those early experiences stayed with me and motivated me to work with people facing these same kinds of challenges in a new country.
“I was a shy person who never really believed in myself, but I always wanted to help people,” Adina said.
“Other people supported me and helped me overcome my shyness.
“I learned the power of being helped and started to want to do the same for others.
“The most satisfying part of my work is seeing young people succeed and start to believe in themselves.
“Seeing them graduate, go to uni, get jobs, these are joyful moments for me.”
As a Senior Youth Worker with Youth Off The Streets, Adina supports young people entering the youth justice system and high school students at risk of disengaging from education or employment.
She helps them access appropriate mental health services and navigate the court system, also working closely with families to keep young people on track.
Adina mentors young people one-to-one through everyday challenges, from preparing resumes to studying for citizenship and driver’s licence tests.
She also helps them find accommodation and navigate essential services, including police, health and legal systems, and providing support through complex court processes and LegalAid.
“It’s important to be there and support young people in situations when they might get anxious,” she said.
“I say, ‘it’s OK, we can get it done together’.”
Her work helps vulnerable young people access essential services and build confidence in navigating life in Australia.
For Adina, listening is at the centre of everything she does.
“It’s very important to sit down and listen to what a young person needs and wants,” she said.
“This recognition belongs to the young people that I support and the team who continue to believe in me,” she said.
Adina Dawod is the winner of the 2026 Youth Support Medal.
