New ambassador for Whitelion Tasmania - Nov 18, 2009

Sam Cawthorn, Tasmanian 2009 Young Australian Of The Year, has joined Whitelion as Ambassador in Tasmania. Sam is excited to be representing Whitelion and assisting us to promote our work with vulnerable young people in the State.

Sam grew up as a country farm boy in a family of 11 children. He then went on to college in Hobart Tasmania, but found that he was more suited to get straight into work. After working in sales for a few years he worked as a Workplace Trainer and Assessor and soon became Training Manager. During this time he was involved in many music theatre productions and opened his own music studio. In recent years, Sam has worked for the Federal Government as an Industry Adviser working with young people and industry groups, identifying skill shortages and providing solutions and strategies for young people entering the workforce.

Sam's personal life journey changed dramatically in October 2006 when he was involved in a major car accident and DIED. Thankfully he was resuscitated but was left with an amputated right arm and now lives with a permanent disability in his right leg. Sam was hospitalised for over five months and confined to a wheelchair for close to a year. It is the story of Sam's remarkable resilience, his mental strength as well as his physical recovery that has amazed and inspired so many Australians and people around the world.

Through overcoming such a tragedy Sam launched his motivational speaking business. Sam is now a highly sought after speaker with audiences of over 50,000 people throughout Australia and overseas. He has been nominated for many awards and more recently won the 2009 Young Australian of the Year for Tasmania.

Sam's message to others is simple? he challenges people to be themselves, believe in themself, find purpose and focus, nurture their creativity, develop resilient and protective behaviours, conquer obstacles such as fear, and set and attain personal goals. In everyway imaginable Sam is a living embodiment of the messages he delivers.

Click here to view Sam's website www.samcawthorn.com.