Announcing your 2024 Westfield Local Hero
We are excited to announce Jayne Clarke from Imagine Re-Evolution as your 2024 Westfield Doncaster Local Hero!
Westfield is proud to award a community grant of $20K to help Jayne Clarke at Imagine Re-Evolution to continue to grow their impact in the local community.
The 2024 Westfield Local Heroes program will award 125 grants across Australia and New Zealand – totaling $AUD1.24 million to support local communities.
Your 2024 Westfield Doncaster local Hero is:
Jayne Clarke
Imagine Re-Evolution
Driven. Imaginative. Compassionate.
Jayne Clarke is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty by supporting young people. Her charity, Imagine Re-Evolution, aims to empower youth by developing creative skills through mentorship, with a focus on sustainability and social justice.
In the years before creating Imagine, Jayne worked to provide material aid relief to local children in need. But when the same names kept appearing on the list, she questioned how she might contribute to breaking cycles of poverty in her community. And so, she created Imagine.
With 50 young participants and 52 volunteers, Imagine connects older mentors with young people in an informal setting. Participants and volunteers build, construct and craft new creative projects together using donated items that would otherwise be destined for landfill. The intergenerational relationship provides social connection and purpose to the volunteers.
Jayne recently secured permanent premises for the organisation, affectionately named ‘The Imaginarium’. This space has significantly enhanced Imagine’s ability to support the local community, allowing for the expansion of programs and services.
“I firmly believe that everyone has a purpose,” Jayne says. “I hope that Imagine provides a space for people to find their purpose and be their best selves.”
Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities. The finalist with the most community votes is the Westfield Doncaster Local Hero for 2024, receiving a $20,000 grant for the organisation they represent. Imagine Re-Evolution will use the grant to a establish a community hub for youth aged 12-25. The hub will host workshops, mentorship programmes and skill-building sessions.
We'd like to thank and acknowledge our finalists who will receive a $5K grant for the organisation they represent...
Hayden Rujak from Hayden’s Helping Hands
In 2014, eight-year-old Hayden Rujak co-founded Hayden's Helping Hands with his sister after witnessing homelessness in the US. Their organisation provides essentials like food, clothing and toiletries to around 200 people monthly in Melbourne. Hayden is driven by a belief in dignity through access to basic needs and engages youth volunteers to foster social responsibility.
Mary Grech from Fitted for Work
Mary Grech has dedicated 14 years to volunteering at Fitted for Work (FFW), helping disadvantaged women achieve financial independence. As a lead volunteer, she supports women in becoming job ready. Mary teaches essential skills like resume writing, assertiveness and financial management. Her commitment has significantly impacted countless women in the community.
If you need support, please phone Lifeline: 13 11 14
Recognising all our 2024 nominees
View all of the Westfield Doncaster nominees and their organisations.
