Published on Monday, 19 September 2022 at 1:47:20 PM
When Diane Wilcox was nominated for the Nedlands Community Citizen of the Year Award in 2021, it was a pleasant surprise with benefits she could not have imagined.
As owner of The Magic Coat, Diane and her team provide support and counselling for vulnerable children. The program was developed to help create confident, calm and caring children who can problem solve, feel safe, and manage their emotions.
“No-one goes into a community award event to win a prize,” Diane said from her office in Claremont.
“It’s more about acknowledgement, for doing ‘a good job’ in the community and being a proud Australian.
Diane said she was dedicated to serving the community, particularly children, and receiving the Award had allowed her to expand into more communities and help more children.
Since 2021, The Magic Coat has grown to include working with children in foster care, and children with parents in the prison system.
“We have also extended our services to include one-on-one counselling for children whose mothers are battling serious illness and in October, we will be launching an Indigenous book specifically for use in rural communities,” Diane said.
According to the Australia Day Council of Western Australia, the purpose of the Community Citizen of the Year Awards is not just to celebrate outstanding contributions, but to inspire others to contribute so that they can also be an impactful part of the story.
To nominate your favourite local hero for the 2023 Community Citizen of the Year awards, visit: www.citizenshipawards.com.au/nominate/.
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