Tannille Law-Douglas is dedicated to helping people, even if she doesn't say so herself.

The quiet 22-year-old Mununjali mother of two from Beaudesert is a descendent of Eva Coolwell. Last month she took home South-East Queensland's Emerging Leader gong at the 2024 Brisbane NAIDOC awards for her work as the Indigenous Community Engagement Officer at Ipswich Flexible school.

Given to an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander young person aged 16 – 25 who is an emerging leader in their community within South-East Queensland, and is connected to community, culture and is striving for excellence in their respective area, the award is nothing short of deserved for someone beloved and respected by both the students and faculty at the school.

Ipswich Flexible school helps to support students who have disengaged with mainstream schooling, and this is where Ms Law-Douglas is able to come into her own.

Dedicating herself to helping and empowering First Nations young people as well as building relations with Elders and educating the community on reconciliation, Ms Law-Douglas said one of the most important things in the role is trust, especially for the students.

"[It's about being] willing to trust the new processes," she says. "Trusting that the school won't let them down."

"Trusting that it's a safe place for them [the students] to be in."

It is this attitude that has endeared her to both staff and students, with her passion helping to bring the best out of students who have previously had difficulties in education.

Principal Dave Capra describes Ms Law-Douglas as the humblest person he's met.

"She is never going to speak about her own achievements," Mr Capra told National Indigenous Times.

"But when I asked if she would be willing to participate in this interview, she said to me, 'no, I don't want to, but I know that if a young person was being asked to do this, then I would tell them that they definitely should put themselves out there and do it. So because of that, I am going to agree to participate in the interview.'"

Experiencing similar difficulties herself - including not feeling culturally safe - helped convince Ms Law-Douglas to get into the role.

Often having to look after her siblings or cousins after school until late meant she was unable to always get her homework done, which could sometimes be a problem.

"Sometimes the things mainstream [schooling] does, is they don't ask the question 'why is there a problem?'" she said. "They just see a problem."

Highlighting the wide range of students and their wants and needs, Ms Law-Douglas argued: "Some people don't want to go to uni. Maybe they just want a job, or they even just want, a safe place that they can just attend and be who they are without feeling judged or anything like that."

"I think about me in school…I kind of was just… going just to survive…to have a routine," she said.

Ms Law-Douglas is much loved among students and staff, and after starting in a casual role, she is now on her way to undertaking leadership training in Naarm to become the school's first ToP (Technology of Participation) Facilitator.

Asked about the future, Ms Law-Douglas said money is the furthest thing from her mind, arguing instead she'd simply rather be doing something she loves.

Mr Capra is realistic, he doesn't think he will be seeing Tannille forever, and says he looks forward to the day when she asks him to be a reference for her.

"Whilst we're very lucky to have Tannille in our school, has an enormous future in community services; human services; education world," he said.

"She's been acknowledged as an emerging leader; she's definitely a leader in our space, in her family [and] in our community.

"I think there is going to be a fair bit ahead of her."