Saskia Dutch, a 24-year-old volunteer from Jindabyne, has been named Junior Citizen of the Year for 2025 at the Jindabyne Australia Day Awards Ceremony.

As the Jindabyne Bushpigs Rugby Union Club’s publicity manager and events co-ordinator, Ms Dutch plays a pivotal role in promoting matches and events, co-ordinating community activities, and strengthening communication between the club and the wider community.

Her dedication and leadership have significantly boosted local engagement and participation.

Ms Dutch said to receive the award was a pleasant surprise and shock.

“I don’t do the volunteer work that I do for the recognition, I do it because I love the community and I love the club and I love what I do within the club, for the community,” Ms Dutch said.

“Every now and then it’s nice to get acknowledged and have people recognise exactly what I do behind the scenes.”

Ms Dutch is widely regarded as a positive role model for young people and is respected for her commitment to building strong, inclusive community connections in Jindabyne.

The 2025 season highlighted the impact of her work, with notable growth in the senior women’s team alongside the re-building of the men’s side.

“I’m the kind of person where if I’m asked to do something I always say yes, I’m happy to help where I can,” Ms Dutch said.

“After being the events manager for more than five years now, I still love it and getting out and about and supporting the community.”

The club reported true unity, with players training, travelling, and supporting one another both on and off the field, thanks in large part to her efforts behind the scenes.

In addition to earning Junior Citizen of the Year, Saskia Dutch was honoured with the Club Person of the Year award for 2025 by the Jindabyne Rugby Union Club, recognising her tireless contributions to ensure every role within the club is supported and every game day is memorable.

Ms Dutch said it’s been a rewarding experience working so closely with the club and encourages anyone thinking of getting more involved in their community to take the leap.

“Just put your hand up for anything and everything, it doesn’t hurt to give everything a go. Have a chat to people that are involved in the community and see if what they do is something of interest to you,” Ms Dutch said.

“I’m always looking for juniors to help take photos on game days and write reports and if anyone’s ever interested in helping, doing little bits here and there always helps and it gets more people involved and as they say, ‘many hands make light work’.”

Ms Dutch’s service highlights the club’s commitment to fostering an inclusive, engaged community in Jindabyne and the club thanks her for all her efforts.