Charlie Jones — Bachelor of Health Science in Paramedicine — Auckland University of Technology

Charlie Jones is a transgender man that has been involved in groups in school to help support our young LGBTQ+ tamariki. Throughout high school, he was involved in the A-Z rainbow group which met every last Friday of the month.

Something really monumental for Charlie was when he helped fight for gender-neutral bathrooms at Western Springs Collage, which was a big win for people who are transgender, nonbinary and gender diverse.

Any time he had the opportunity to do a speech it was always on the importance of gender, stereotypes and more recently this year, why there needs to be a more inclusive sex education as people who are transgender or gender diverse are not included in the sex education curriculum. This fight to help educate and help others is what drives Charlie to want to work as a Paramedic.

Charlie’s drive to want to help others and make a change is something he has always had. Most of his life has been people constantly putting him down for who he is, so he wants to make a positive change by being a paramedic.