The 2024 Melburnian of the Year has been awarded to Rebecca Scott OAM, co-founder of the social enterprise STREAT. Known for her inspiring leadership, Rebecca has dedicated her work to helping young Melburnians find employment and secure housing while tackling climate-related issues.
Since its beginnings in 2009 with street food carts, STREAT has grown into a multifaceted organisation with 16 food services across Melbourne, urban farms, and sustainable initiatives. To date, STREAT has supported over 500 young people in finding jobs in hospitality and horticulture and has helped upskill an additional 1,500 through outreach and training programs. Rebecca’s accolades include the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2016 and a Human Rights Commission award in 2019.
Young Melburnian of the Year was awarded to Alex Dekker, founder of Alex Makes Meals. Recognised for his commitment to fighting food insecurity, Alex’s not-for-profit has grown from a one-man mission in 2020 to an initiative delivering over 3,000 nutritious meals weekly to vulnerable communities across Melbourne.
The 2024 Melbourne Awards also celebrated eight exceptional organisations:
- Aboriginal Melbourne – ganbu guljin award: The Beruk Exhibition, for showcasing Wurundjeri artist William Barak’s stories on returning to Country.
- Access and Inclusion: Travellers Aid Australia, for innovative solutions enhancing Melbourne’s transport accessibility.
- Arts and Events: Blender Studios, for their contributions to Melbourne’s urban art scene.
- City Design: Koorie Heritage Trust Stage II, for amplifying Aboriginal art and culture in Melbourne’s architecture.
- Community: Lort Smith – Melbourne’s Animal Hospital, for providing compassionate pet care to vulnerable communities.
- Knowledge and Innovation: Orygen, for pioneering research in youth mental health.
- LGBTIQA+: Queer Town, for impactful education and training on allyship and inclusion.
- Sustainability: Urban Tree Recovery, for sustainable approaches to urban tree management.
Congratulations to all honourees for their contributions to a vibrant and inclusive Melbourne!
IMAGE: Co-founder of Melbourne-based social enterprise STREAT, Rebecca Scott OAM has been named the 2024 Melburnian of the Year, alongside Alex Dekker as Young Melburnian of the Year.
