Phu Nguyen’s dedication to making sports accessible for young people has transformed Yarra’s community, making him this year’s Young Citizen of the Year.
Phu leads the Future in Youth sports programs in Collingwood, Fitzroy, and Richmond, providing free, inclusive sports activities for school-aged children in local housing estates. Beyond weekly sessions, he organises Challenge Cup tournaments and collaborates with Victorian Police, Yarra Youth Services, and the Fitzroy Lions to promote community connections through sports.
Phu’s advocacy was instrumental in creating a synthetic football pitch at the Richmond estate, now a training space for the Fitzroy Lions Football Club. As a mentor, Phu inspires young participants to pursue their passions, strengthening both Future in Youth programs and the broader Yarra community.