Bundjalung woman Jasmine Pilling has been recognised nationally, having recently received the Youth Inspiration Award at Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia, National Conference in Darwin.

The award celebrates Jasmine’s strength, resilience, and leadership qualities, which she has shown in overcoming immense challenges in her young life.

To understand the significance of Jasmine's award, you need to appreciate her backstory.

Jasmine was born at Lismore Base Hospital, went to primary school at Wyrallah Road Public School, then high school at Lismore High, before moving to Richmond River High School.

In the 2022 big flood, Jasmine was in Year 12 and studying for her HSC. She lost her house and all her belongings. "Like everyone", she said. However, Jasmine also lost her school as well.

"I had to make the choice to stay in school with nothing on my back or get to work. And that's what I did, I got to work. Not having any family support or anything like that, it was kind of on my own back. So, unfortunately, I didn't get to graduate."

Keep in mind that Jasmine was like all the HSC cohort of 2022; they had to deal with COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021 on top of the big flood.

As if that wasn't enough, Jasmine's family situation was not the ideal supportive environment most people experience.

"My mother suffered from addiction, and there were periods of time where she was incarcerated," Jasmine explained. "My father neglected me, So, I didn't really have any family that was my safety or my support."

"I had my great-grandmothers, who were my rocks. I wouldn't be where I am today without them."

(Jasmine with her great-grandmother Margaret Watt. Photo: supplied)

Jasmine started her working life in bars around the Northern Rivers. The Mezza in Ballina was her first stint in hospitality.

At the same time, Jasmine was involved in a domestic violence relationship, which she left in 2023.

"Once again, my whole life came crashing down because my whole world was built around this male, and I knew right from wrong, and knew what he was doing to me was very wrong. So I left and had to start all over again, but I did it before, so I knew I could do it again."

The positive change that Jasmine needed to kickstart a better life happened when she was offered a Business Administration traineeship through the AFL (Australian Football League) at the University Centre for Rural Health.

"I worked on reception at the University Centre for Rural Health here in Lismore for a year, and then I was offered a move into the research sector. I worked on various different research projects, like Staunch, Well Mob and Aboriginal Health. I worked with a lot of respected professors, and really found my community, not having that growing up, through the University Centre for Rural Health.

Jasmine changed jobs in May this year when she was offered a position working as a community engagement officer in Ballina

And so I was there for about I was there till May this year, working in research after my traineeship, and I was offered, then offered a position working as a community engagement officer at the Ballina Aboriginal Health Service on 'Ready, Quit, Solid', which is an indigenous smoking program.

"I go into high schools and women's groups and talk about the effects of smoking and vaping and what it does to your body."

Dave Edwards from Jasmine's Well Mob team in Sydney University nominated Jasmine for the National Youth Inspiration Award. It recognises someone who works in social, emotional, well-being, mental health and suicide prevention for their community.

"They flew me up to Darwin on Tuesday last week, and I ended up winning the award, which was crazy, but it was a huge reflection of absolutely the pain and the hurt, and how alone I felt, and how I felt like I wasn't going anywhere. I would ask myself, When am I going to catch a break?

"It really made me reflect on everything I had faced as a child, and how no child should have to face that. But I've come through the other side, and I'm proof that when you're born into situations that aren't the safest and aren't stable, you can come out the other side.

"I feel like a lot of young people, especially around the Northern Rivers, need to hear that, need to see that, because I did some reflecting after I had won this award, and one thing that came to my head, was, I'm now the woman that little me wishes she had growing up. To look up to and say, I can do it, you know. And I think that's a really powerful message that I want to get out, you can do it, and you can break the cycle, and if you dealt shit cards, you can turn those cards around and create a life for yourself.

"I very much had a choice of which path I was going to take, and it's hard. A lot of people take the other path and end up in those situations that I've talked about, but I was very much driven to break the cycle, and that I didn't want for myself the life that had been handed to me. I wanted to flip the script and show my younger siblings, who went through the same thing, that there is light and that you can do it."

Jasmin has two siblings, who are 18 (tomorrow) and 12 years old.

(Jasmine's younger siblings, Robert (RJ) Pilling and Isabelle Charlton. Photo: supplied)

It is hard to believe that Jasmine is only 21. Despite her setbacks, she has found strength in her culture and community, turning her early experiences into a powerful drive to create changes that will enable her to live the life she wants to live.