With a background in counselling and social ecology, when Ms Langoulant moved to St Helens in 2017 she immediately recognised there were young women in the area who were in need of additional support.

"A lot of them weren't that keen on school or engaged with the community," she said.

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"The first Free2b group really filled an immediate need in the St Helens community.

"The girls really needed to be there."

Ms Langoulant's work in the youth space has seen her nominated for Tasmanian Local Hero at the Australian of the Year Awards.

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She said that young women living in regional areas were often overlooked by service providers, and were in need of safe spaces.

"The first thing I noticed that there was not much for young people to do, or spaces for them to go to in the community," Ms Langoulant said.

"Particularly for the girls, if you didn't play netball or football there was nothing. Other than going home or hanging out on the streets or the shops."

Ms Langoulant said the weekly group was led by the participants and they were able to choose their own activities and follow their own passions.

"We let them come up with their own idea, and let their personalities and moods and everything like that dictate what happens in the space," she said.

Free2b Girls provides a safe and respectful space for young women and girls to connect with each other and express themselves.

Ms Langoulant said the participants often offered each other peer-support and worked through issues together.

"I think having two hours of just girls and women is invaluable," she said.

"The regular comments I always get is that they [the participants] don't have to shout, they can just be heard.

"And they really identify that it's a space where they can be themselves and not feel self-conscious."

Ms Langoulant said she was shocked, but pleasantly surprised to be nominated in the Australian of the Year Awards.

"It wasn't expected at all, and felt a bit strange for me," she said.

"It's like I planted a seed but it exists because of the girls and the women and organisations that support the program."

"But I'm happy to speak about Free2b and the need for the program in regional areas."

Free2b has expanded and now has groups in St Marys, Longford, Beaconsfield, Campbell Town and Youngtown.

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