Alumni and Supporters

Despite being profoundly deaf and having limited vision, ECU graduate Vanessa Vlajkovic has already achieved a huge amount in her short life.

“When I was awarded WA Young Person of the Year in 2016, it came as a shock to me; I couldn't have been more surprised, but I was beyond delighted,” says Vanessa, who is the currently the Deputy Chair of the Youth Disability Advocacy Network, and who was only 19 years old at the time of the prestigious award.

“It was an honour to receive such an accolade and I felt very grateful for the recognition. It was incredible to win my category and I was satisfied with that, so being announced as the overall winner was unreal. I couldn't believe it, it just seemed so unlikely and, if I’m honest, I didn't feel like I was significant enough to deserve something so big.

“However, it did excite me that I’d be able to use the platform to raise awareness about deafblindness as so many people around the world have no idea what it's like to live with a disability.”

The 26-year-old, who recently completed an internship at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, completed her Bachelor of Media and Communication in 2019 and went on to do her masters in writing, editing and publishing at the University of Queensland.

The dedicated animal lover will also present at the 11th National Deafblind Conference in Fremantle, just prior to her 25th birthday in July, and admits she is a passionate advocate for improving disability and is driven by the need for change.

“The world isn't built to accommodate disabled people and in the 21st century this shouldn't still be the case,” says Vanessa, who also dreams of playing blind tennis internationally and potentially competing at the Australian Open and the Paralympics.

“Many people have no idea how hard it is to get through one day when you have disabilities and how, perhaps unintentionally, their actions and attitudes can affect my life and many others in a negative manner.

“So I'm driven by the fact that I have a voice and the potential to change perspectives and improve the lives of so many people, including my own. I have the confidence, the knowledge and the motivation to make a difference, and that's really all I need.”

"Don't do what people say you should do or what's expected of you, do what your heart wants."

And so what advice does this award-winning young woman have for other young people who are considering their next move after school?

“My advice for younger people thinking about higher education and their future is to never succumb to peer pressure,” says Vanessa, whose hobbies include competitive ballroom dancing, blind tennis, blind AFL and blind soccer.

“By that I mean your family, your friends and society itself. Don't do what people say you should do or what's expected of you, do what your heart wants.

“The worst that can happen is you fail, but that's not even a bad thing - you just try again. if you fail you learn from the experience so it's never a waste because it equips you with the skills and knowledge for how you can do better next time.

“There's absolutely nothing that should stop you doing whatever it is you're passionate about. There might be some barriers in your way but, with a little determination and patience, you can almost always find a solution.

“And if you do decide you'd like to give university a crack, just make sure you've done your research and are not just diving into a HECS debt head-first. Uni can be stressful, so take time to think, to plan and prepare.

“There are some unis that have excellent reputations for accessibility and then there are some that haven’t. So ask for lots of opinions and don't be afraid to be assertive - shyness never got anyone anywhere in life so stand your ground and know your rights.”