Geordan Shannon

Health - Education - Australia

In between studying medicine and working in a cafe, Geordan has worked with Amnesty International, helping provide emotional and financial support to refugees on Temporary Protection Visas in Australia. Currently she coordinates clothing and grocery runs for young Indigenous mothers, as well as organising visits and childcare, to a settlement near Brisbane.

Geordan believes that the cycle of poverty that arises from teenage pregnancy and sole parenting must be tackled through health and education. Studying medicine, with a particular focus on Indigenous health care, she intends to use OIYP2004 as a springboard to expand on her current support programs and create a mentor-based program which educates young Indigenous people about sexual and reproductive health issues.

“My idea is to organize and facilitate a discussion group for young indigenous women by indigenous women – encapsulating the concepts akin to that of the Aboriginal people’s way of storytelling, yarns, sense of community and visual art.”

By influencing a small part of society, Geordan aims to "establish healthy lifestyle practises for mothers and babies, to serve as an example for other communities.”