It’s time to share What Matters? to you

Sometimes a great selfie or hilarious meme can't quite capture what really matters to you.

The Whitlam Institute within Western Sydney University is calling on students in years 5-12 across NSW and the ACT to harness the power of the written word and share What Matters?.

If you have an idea about what can be done to improve a local, national or even a global issue, or even if you just want to raise awareness about something that you're really passionate about, then why not bring it to the forefront, put it in writing and enter the 2016 What Matters? Competition.

Competition judges comprise a group of highly qualified writers, educators and journalists who are waiting with great anticipation to receive your entry and get an understanding of what issues are important to young people today. 

Director of the Whitlam Institute within Western Sydney University, Mr Eric Sidoti, says the What Matters? Competition is a platform for young people's ideas and stories to be heard.

"The What Matters? Competition offers a window into the lives of young Australians: not just what concerns them but what inspires them."

"Year after year we are reminded how passionate, observant and articulate young people are, and how deeply driven they are by a sense of social justice," says Mr Sidoti.

Prizes for 2016:

• The overall competition winner will be awarded an iPad and a trophy.
• $350 is awarded for each category winner and $200 for each category runner-up.
• The Years 5/6 and 7/8 category winners and runners up will each receive a full-day creative writing workshop donated by The Writing Workshop, conducted by award-winning author Bernard Cohen.
• The Year 9/10 category winner will be invited to spend a day at ReachOut, meeting the team and receiving professional training. They will also be offered the opportunity to be paid $200 to produce a feature article for the ReachOut.com website.
• The Year 11/12 category winner will receive a 1 Year Membership to the NSW Writers' Centre and the opportunity to participate in a one-day writing workshop* donated by the NSW Writers' Centre.

All winning entries will be published in print and online.

Entries close Friday 6 May 2016.  Entry forms can be downloaded from http://www.whitlam.org/whatmatters.

For more information, contact the Whitlam Institute on (02) 9685 9210 or visit www.whitlam.org.

Ends.

Media enquiries:

Amy Sambrooke 

M: 0421 784 253

E: A.Sambrooke@westernsydney.edu.au