Former Sydney Morning Herald journalist Dr Catherine Keenan was named Australia's Local Hero for 2016 for her work as a youth educator.
Dr Keenan left her position as a literary editor and arts journalist at the Herald in February 2012 to establish the Sydney Story Factory, a not-for-profit creative writing centre for marginalised young people.
As the co-founder and executive director of the learning centre, Dr Keenan has opened pathways to higher education and academic achievement for thousands of students, who are often "at risk of losing confidence in their writing and switching off at school".
The Redfern-based centre welcomes young students, particularly those from Indigenous and non-English-speaking backgrounds, in free writing programs that are aimed at developing their creativity and written fluency.
Since 2012, Dr Keenan has helped more than 6000 primary and secondary school children express themselves through creative writing, boosting their self-confidence and engagement with learning.
"Our students inspire me. The great thing about them is that they always present us with new ways of looking at the world. As my colleague Richard says, our greatest challenge is trying to be as creative as they are," Dr Keenan said in a 2013 interview with Pro Bono Australia.
Dr Keenan has a passion for language and holds a doctorate in English literature from Oxford University.
She was responsible for raising funding for and the training of more than 1200 volunteers, who provide one-on-one attention for the budding writing students.
She co-founded the centre with her colleague and Herald columnist, Tim Dick, after seeing the success of similar programs overseas.
The Local Hero Award was introduced to the Australian of the Year awards in 2003, and acknowledges the contributions made by Australians to their local communities.
