Jennifer Pittorino
Maribyrnong council has chosen to acknowledge the lifelong dedication of youth worker Les Twentyman, by renaming the annual Civic Youth Leadership Award, the Les Twentyman Youth Leadership Award.
In its meeting on April 23, council said this change would honour and commemorate Mr Twentyman’s contribution to the Maribyrnong community.
Councillor Anthony Tran said the Youth Civic Award acknowledges contributions that the youth have made to the community, similarly to what Mr Twentyman did in his work.
Mr Twentyman was a Victorian youth outreach worker and community activist, prominent for his work in the western suburbs.
Through the Les Twentyman Foundation, he dedicated a lifetime of service to the state’s most vulnerable people and disadvantaged communities.
“Les was by no means young forever, but he will forever be immortalised as someone who continues to be a large contributing factor to the city of Maribyrnong,” Cr Tran said.
“It’s a small civic award and that’s completely acknowledged by all the councillors here, but we hope that in some way, this keeps the memory of Les in the city of Maribyrnong.”
Mr Twentyman implemented support programs that changed the lives of thousands, addressing youth homelessness, alcohol and drug addiction, youth justice and social welfare.
He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1994 and Victorian of the Year in 2004.
Cr Jorge Jorquera said even though Mr Twentyman became a national personality, he was quintessentially a westie.
“He was very much representative of everything that I have always thought is beautiful about the west,” he said.
Cr Jorquera also mentioned a possible future tribute to be made when council opens the renovated town hall.
“We might be able to think about a potential naming of a room or something of that sort,” he said.
“Just to continue his memory as that quintessential westie, I would like him in some way to be immortalised in our newly renovated town hall if possible when we consider those things.”
