It started with awareness; the kind that builds slowly over years of lived experience.
For 11-year-old Taynan Lilydale, the spark for his Citizenship Project was lit by more than a school assignment. It came from moving rental to rental with his family as the cost of living climbed higher and higher. It came from hearing the news on TV, listening to conversations at the dinner table, and witnessing firsthand the impact of economic pressure and racism; both back home in Darwin and in his new community of Forrestfield.
He'd seen leaders in the public eye say harmful things about his people and watched that behaviour go unchallenged. One night, he asked a question that still echoes:
"If that behaviour is unacceptable, why are there people running the country who make harmful decisions about our people?"
That question didn't just sit there. It turned into action.
By the time most Year 6 students are finishing up homework and kicking a footy after school, Taynan is sorting toothbrushes, writing donation labels, and packing suitcases with socks, hats, and water bottles bound for those who need them most; including some of the most remote and under-served communities in the country.
A proud young Aboriginal boy from the Top End and the eldest of four siblings, Taynan is one of this year's participants in the Darling Range Learning Community Citizenship Award, and he's taken the challenge far beyond the classroom.
His project was grounded in a clear purpose: to help make home, school, and sport a little better for kids in remote Aboriginal communities. Taynan understood that many of these communities don't have the same access to shops, supplies, clean water, or education resources as those in major cities. The prices are higher, the options fewer, and the challenges greater. He believed that every kid deserves the same chances in life and wanted to support them with donated goods and community awareness.
"Aboriginal people have lived in Australia for thousands of years," Taynan wrote in his goals. "If we work together, we can help kids grow up strong and proud of who they are."
With help from his mum and supporters, Taynan began researching community needs through online platforms and then coordinated donation drives. He created packing lists, made labels, and began collecting items like water bottles, underwear, hats, and books. He then reached out to family, friends, and businesses for support — turning his vision into a hands-on mission of care.
He's already delivered a bag of brand-new sports boots to Tjuntjuntjara School with the help of the Indigenous Desert Alliance and sent a large bundle of hygiene and school items to Yarralin in the Northern Territory. The support he received from the local community — from donated goods to offers to help with postage — proved that one young person's care can spark real change.
During Reconciliation Week, Taynan hosted an ochre painting station at a community event, teaching younger kids how to mix natural ochre for art and sharing his cultural knowledge with families. He was nervous at first but stepped into it beautifully; speaking from the heart, helping little ones, and connecting with adults who were truly moved by his leadership and pride.
Taynan's own journey hasn't been easy; his family has experienced homelessness, racism, and intergenerational trauma. But through it all, he's remained grounded in his identity, strengthened by culture, and committed to being someone who lifts others up.
"He's the kind of kid who calls out racism, stands up for his friends, and shows up for his community," his mum says. "And now, he's showing us all what real leadership looks like."
Taynan Lilydale represents the kind of future leader this country needs; one who leads not for praise, but with purpose. His compassion, resilience, and ability to think outside the box to uplift others is not only admirable, it is the very essence of true leadership.
Now it's our turn to back him; mob right across the country can support Taynan by donating items, sharing his story, or reaching out with offers to help deliver care packages to remote communities.
To stay up to date with the work this superstar is doing in the community, follow @PERTHDEADLYMUMS on Instagram.
