My name is Tayla Byatt and I am from the 2013 graduating class. Since graduating I have completed a B.Comm (16) and now in my final year of the Jurisd Doctor, both at UWA.

Earlier this year I was nominated for the Seven News Young Achievers Award in the category for Community Service and Volunteering, where I have now been recently shortlisted as a finalist. The nomination was based on my work with uneARThed and other volunteering platforms.

In 2017, alongside three other students, I founded uneARThed, a not for profit which addresses the stigma of homelessness in Western Australia and supports artists experiencing homelessness by providing them with a platform to receive a sustainable income. UneARThed achieves this core mission in three ways.

First by digitally printing artwork produced by the artists onto T-Shirts which are then sold through markets, events and an online website. The profit received from the t-shirts is split between the artists and the project.

Secondly, we collaborate with organisations to educate their employees and clients about the stigma of homelessness through hosting events which allow people to openly discuss these issues and get to know the artists in an authentic manner. We invite people to these events to have an open mind, to engage in conversation and to see these individuals like artists, and not just homeless. Companies have included FeedMe, the Underground Collaborative and Charter Hall, with future events being planned with PWC and Gilbert + Tobin.

Finally, I am currently leading a small team which is developing a school program which will educate students in year 7 to 8 about the stigma of homelessness, and what they can do to help address this social issue.

Since launching, we have supported 12 artists and raised $4,000 that has gone directly to these artists. Across our events, both hosted by uneARThed and in collaboration with other organisations, we have had around 300 attendees many of which have expressed how much their perception has changed by talking to these artists either directly or through our own material.

Tayla Byatt

One of the t-shirt designs.