The experience of having her first child at age 16 led Bernadette Black to found the Brave Foundation, which supports thousands of expectant and parenting teens across the country.
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Her work with Brave, as well as her service to community groups, governance and service to her local council has seen Ms Black be awarded as a Member of the Order of Australia.
Ms Black said she was shocked and surprised when she received a letter in the main from Government House in Canberra.
"I looked and thought what on earth could I be receiving from there, and saw I was being considered which was incredible - and then to receive a letter only a few weeks ago receiving congratulations was such as a surprise," Ms Black said.
"I couldn't even talk I was so blown away by this honour - to see my work with my charity and my love of human rights for all people, from my story and the professional career I have developed... there's no words that can capitalise on what I want to say.
"Being grateful feels like such a small word."
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Alongside her work with the Brave Foundation, Ms Black served as a Kingborough councillor from 2011-2016, and has worked on other boards and said she is motivated to create policy that helps young people earlier.
"It's been a hard slog, but I've made sure at each point to learn, to be able to understand how we can help more people at risk of vulnerability earlier to have a great outcome in our state and our nation, that's what I'm passionate about," she said.
"I'm looking how to develop true policy that helps people earlier, to make sure they don't enter into entrenched disadvantage, so we give them an off ramp for people so they can live the life they deserve.
"We know when we develop strategies that help young people earlier and we can provide consistency of health across a number of years we see those statistics turn around."
Ms Black said it was the highlight to start a new year on, after a "difficult" 2020.
"In a year that was so inconsistent, we've seen that this type of work is needed more than ever," she said.
"That's the heartbeat of Brave - we believe in seeing the boundless potential of all young people, for their futures and for the economic recovery we're seeing for our state and our country.
"I look forward to building on this honour and being a good steward to serve my state and nation into the future."
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