Ashton (he/him)

I am currently studying my first year of a Bachelor of Social Work, with hopes of graduating in 2028. I chose to study this course as I have been passionate about community services, advocacy and mental health since I was young, and after studying psychology for two years, I was burnt out and losing my spark. Discovering my passion for social work has reignited this spark, giving a great sense of motivation and drive.

Once I complete my course, I hope to become a mental health social worker who can meet people where they are at and support them through their struggles. I have been advocating for the implementation of a Safe Haven (a crisis service) in my local area over the last few years, which has been really exciting and amazing to see through. I have been able to meet with politicians and stakeholders to advocate for this campaign. I am really proud of my ability to blossom in my current degree, as I really struggled with making friends and connections. I now feel right at home in social work.

I applied for The Pinnacle Foundation scholarship because I admire the organisation and the support provided for queer and gender diverse students. Some fun facts about me: I have over 40 figurines of virtual pop sensation Hatsune Miku, and I love to listen to j-pop and video game soundtracks (particularly DELTARUNE!).