[csaa-forum] Australian youth site declared world's best

[Tom Dawkins]

Press release:

The World Summit Youth Award (WSYA) has announced the Vibewire.net
(www.vibewire.net) project run by Australian non-profit youth media and arts
organisation Vibewire Youth Services as the winner of the Community
Engagement category.

The WSYA is an international competition held as part of the World Summit on
the Information Society for online, youth-led projects designed to encourage
the active particiation of young people in the emerging Information Society.

As the winners of the category, one member of the project will travel to the
World Summit on the Information Society in Tunisia 16 – 18 November to
showcase the project at the “Future is Now” workshop. Vibewire Founder and
National Coordinator Tom Dawkins, 26, is gearing up to represent the
organisation at the conference.

“It’s incredible to be recognised by an international award like this” says
Tom.

“I want to acknowledge the work of hundreds of volunteers which has gone
into building Vibewire.net and without whom Vibewire.net wouldn’t exist.”

“What’s unique about Vibewire.net is that it is not about telling young
people what to think, what to wear, what to buy. It’s about creating a space
for them to express themselves on the issues, cultures and ideas they care
about”.

“There are very few opportunities for young people in Australia to
participate in political and cultural debates and to tell their stories and
we’re thrilled to accept this Award as an innovator in youth community
engagement.”

Vibewire projects include the electionTracker (www.electionTracker.net)
which sent young reporters out on the campaign trail with John Howard and
Mark Latham during the last Federal Election, Reelife Short Film Festival
(www.vibewire.net/reelife) and the Vibewire.net e-Festival
(www.vibewire.net/efestival).

Runners up in the Community Engagement category were Hyperstaffs
(www.hyperstaffs.info) from the United Kingdom and Hai Ti! (Listen Up!)
(www.schoolnet.na/haiti) from the Republic of Nambia. There were also
categories for Arts and Culture and Development. The Awards were judged by a
15-member international panel.

The awards are given to youth aged 30 and under who are operating best
practice websites as creators and adopters of new technologies.

For more information on the awards, please see the WSYA website,
www.youthaward.org and for more information on the World Summit on the
Information Society, please see the WSIS website,
http://www.itu.int/wsis/tunis/

For more information on Vibewire please contact Tom Dawkins on
0416 099 534 or mail at vibewire.net