A dedication to inspiration

Inspiring youth to fight their demons and rise up to follow their dreams is not an easy task, but one that Kwinana councillor Tanya Dupagne has dedicated her life to.

Growing up in Kwinana, Cr Dupagne said she was often told she would never amount to anything because of where she was from – now at 31 she has achieved more than most for her age, including volunteer stints in American and South African youth camps, founding charity Dance for Africa and the Kwinana Children’s Choir and becoming chief executive of the Global Good Foundation.

With a hectic schedule and working 90-hour-weeks, Cr Dupagne said she had stood down from her position at the GGF and planned to stand down as a councillor at local government elections in October to follow her passion to help children through youth camps in Kulin, a Wheatbelt town three and a half hours from Perth.

“It is a town with a very small population but they have a brand new recreation centre and none of it is really being used,” she said.

“We are working with kids affected by domestic violence and sexual assault and the demand has just been astronomical – we are teaching these kids trust, leadership, self-esteem, because they don’t have it.”

“This will give me the opportunity to run more camps and help more kids in Kwinana.”

Cr Dupagne said she was inspired by others to run for council in 2009 to give the younger generation of Kwinana a voice.

She said the experience had given her the opportunity to promote Kwinana in a positive light to youth and prominent people in WA.

“A highlight for me has been The Zone youth centre opening and being able to see that being really used,” she said.

“I have tried to educate the kids and show them that it is possible to be on council, I guess the ultimate thing would be for one of them to eventually decide to run at a young age.”

With six months still on council Cr Dupagne’s message to youth remains loud and clear.

“Don’t let people tell you, you can’t do things because if you just put your mind to it you can,” she said.