Your 2025 Westfield Hurstville Local Hero is:

Alana Singleton

Emerge & See

Determined. Compassionate. Honorable.

After nearly two decades as an officer and sergeant with New South Wales Police, Alana co-founded a charity to support emergency service workers and volunteers suffering from trauma related to their jobs. 
Emerge & See is the first organisation of its kind in the state to provide professional medical, financial, legal, wellbeing and social support to people navigating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 
With one emergency service worker in Australia every four weeks taking their own lives, Alana’s work is potentially life-saving for individuals.  

“I’m motivated by knowing that I can inspire those with a diagnosed mental illness to know you can grow beyond your diagnosis and still achieve greatness,” she says. 

Since the charity was founded in 2021, 5,000 people have already been supported through their challenges – something that Alana knows about all too well herself.  

“Being diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety and depression as a result of my 18 years’ service as a police officer in 2016, I had to overcome feelings of guilt, shame, failure and hopelessness,” she explains.  
“I fought for my recovery and now fight for others.” 
There are 2,200 emergency workers in the Georges River area who could benefit from Emerge & See. The charity’s services are available to serving and retired, paid and volunteer workers, as well as their families. 

The $20,000 grant will be used to establish an 1800 crisis line, and fund volunteer training, mental health awareness , and workplace transition support.

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We’d like to thank and acknowledge our finalists who will receive a $5K grant for the organisation they represent...

Nicholas Oong from Open Door Youth Housing Support Service

Driven by personal experience, Nick leads Open Door Youth Housing Support in Hurstville, supporting young people through homelessness with housing, care, advocacy, and connection. He challenges systemic barriers and works to shift community attitudes, creating opportunities for young people to be seen, supported, and empowered to build a future filled with safety, dignity, and possibility.

Ramya Badrinath from South Sydney Indian Association

Ramya brings together and inspires Indian women in Sydney’s southern suburbs. She organises professional workshops and taboo-breaking talks to build confidence, independence and wellbeing. Driven by a sense of civic and social responsibility, Ramya works to ensure that her community feels valued and that it creates an impact on the city’s diverse landscape.

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If you need support, please phone Lifeline: 13 11 14

Recognising all our 2025 nominees

View all of the Westfield Hurstville nominees and their organisations here.