Dave Graham, Georgia Cherrie recognised for dedication to RuffTrack youth program

Youth worker Georgia Cherrie was awarded an LG Local Legend of Australia award, winning a huge electronics prize pack that will be used to build a self-service kitchen for the program's young people.

RuffTrack Manager of Programmes, Dave Graham, said: "Georgia came to us on placement as a volunteer, but RuffTrack is like Hotel California - once you come you never leave."

Ms Cherrie said she had started at the farm on a volunteer placement with university, then she continued on as a volunteer after the placement ended, and was recognised for her hard work with an employment contract.

"The award recognises and rewards those that are making a real difference through their time and dedication to others," Ms Cherrie said.

She said being recognised by LG was "very exciting, it just makes all the hard work worth it".

"My favourite thing about working for RuffTrack is creating and seeing the opportunities that young people get, and seeing them really take it and use those opportunities," she said.

Ms Cherrie won a package worth around $6,000, consisting of a fridge, a dishwasher, a microwave and a phone.

"We feed them [the youth program participants] almost every day, up to four times a day, and this will give them the capacity to feed themselves and learn how to prepare their own meals and get healthier," she said.

Also this month, Mr Graham was named Westfield Local Hero - a program designed to help connect and enrich local communities - winning $10,000, which will be used to fund excursions for the young people to other rural stations to learn about life on the land, including to other affiliated youth programs including the BackTrack program in Armidale.

Mr Graham said the community could support RuffTrack further by buying a Jimmy the dog soft toy online, through a tax deductible donation, at www.rufftrack.com/shop.

Jimmy toys are $50 and funds go towards supporting the program, which provides a safe space for at-risk teenagers to learn important life lessons.

"Jimmy is our number-one therapy dog. When Jimmy came to us he was a dog that had been abused without knowing he'd been abused. The dog's owner had Alzheimers and was fed all day every day, and was super aggressive around food and around humans and other dogs," Mr Graham said.

"Through the RUffTrack method he is now the kindest, most loving, bonding dog that goes with the young people wherever they go.

"Whenever a kid gets triggered or upset, Jimmy knows to go up to them and give them love - it's pretty amazing."