Former SA Writers Centre intern, Samuel Williams, has recently been awarded the 2016 Australian Cultural John Monash Scholarship!

Helping adolescents and young adults through relevant literature and non-fiction is the aim of 2016 Australian Cultural John Monash Scholar, Samuel, who last week became one of 17 recipients of the prestigious postgraduate scholarship.

He hopes to specialise in writing stories, poems and plays to offer insights and support for young people under the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual ‘rainbow’ umbrella and he will be looking at young adult literature to encourage empathy for these themes.

Samuel graduated from Flinders University last year, earning first-class honours for his creative writing studies.

“While social acceptance is growing for gender and sexual diversity, there are still social barriers and intolerance,” the 24-year-old says.
“I will be very proud if I can become an advocate for my community through this amazing scholarship opportunity.”