Gnarly Neighbours staff Brad Cole, co-founders Nathan Wiggett and Jayden Sheridan, and staff members Kate Davis-Patchett and Sophia Loukas.
Photo by
Faith Macale
The spotlight is yet again on local youth-not-for-profit Gnarly Neighbours, with the organisation’s co-founder being recognised for his leadership and community contributions on a statewide level.
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On Friday, September 18, Jayden Sheridan was named a finalist for the Regional Development Victoria Leadership and Innovation Award.
The award recognises individuals who are role models at the forefront of community contribution in their field or endeavour, and, through their leadership, innovation and driving force, pave the way for others to follow.
Jayden said being named a finalist was really a win for the wider Gnarly Neighbours team.
“It’s about people noticing the change we’re making here,” he said.
“We’ve got such an amazing team of humans.
“The team we have care so deeply about the community and the impact we have.”
He said, in particular, the team understood “the challenges that the town is facing”.
“Seymour is beautiful, but having lived on the other side of it, I just can’t ignore that. To this day, I could forget about it because it’s not always in people’s faces — it’s kind of tucked away,” Jayden said.
“The team here really sees that and cares deeply about that.
“It’s good we’ve got such amazing people behind us who just come out of the woodwork every time to support.”
Jayden Sheridan says his award recognition is a win for the wider Gnarly Neighbours team.
Photo by
Billie Davern
The award shines a light on regional leaders, who live about 100km from Melbourne’s CBD, and who demonstrate qualities such as tenacity, dedication, selflessness, leadership and innovative thinking.
The award’s description states that successful nominees may have overcome significant challenges, adversity or hardship to achieve excellent outcomes that boost pride in the community and wider Victoria, and may have pioneered significant changes in their community, business or organisation that have altered how people think and, therefore, act.
For Jayden, leadership is about walking alongside his team.
“Being a leader doesn’t mean leading from the front and everyone has to follow you,” he said.
“I’ve found myself as a leader leading alongside other people who have their amazing qualities and superpowers to be able to make change.”
He said he hoped his recognition would inspire others to chase their “crazy dreams”.
“Everyone has dreams, but the crazy ones do something. I’ve been lucky enough to be supported in my crazy dreams,” Jayden said.
“Hopefully this inspires other people to have crazy dreams, too.”
Jayden said he also shared the win with Gnarly Neighbours co-founder Nathan Wiggett, and his wife, whom they call “co-co-founder”, Bethany Wiggett.
The winner of the Regional Development Victoria Leadership and Innovation Award will be announced on Saturday, October 17.
