Daniel, an adult with CP, shares his story about over a decade of work in advocacy and his ambitions for the future
Daniel Clarke is a Brisbane resident with a substantial body of work in advocacy for conservationist and humanitarian issues. He was recently recognised in the Courier Mail’s 30 Under 30 list for his many achievements, among some of Queensland’s most influential young people in a variety of sectors.
One of his proudest achievements is fundraising over $1,000,000 for Tears In The Jungle, a program developed by Daniel and his brother William which has aimed to protect orangutan habitats in Borneo and Sumatra. His long-term dedication helped the program achieve great success. Daniel was recognised as the 2021 Queensland Young Australian of the Year for this work.
“The 2021 Queensland Young Australian of the Year award was a privilege and allowed me to be recognised with more credibility to work with other issues that I care about. It really opened the door for new opportunities, like speaking at events and conferences,” Daniel said.
Daniel and his brother started Tears In The Jungle in 2011 as a way to sell their two books: Tears In The Jungle and Fight For Survival. Their work on orangutan conservation was incorporated into the NSW school curriculum and the books were recognised with Australian and international literary awards.
“Tears in the Jungle has been something I worked on for years with my brother. Now, it’s continuing, but I’m increasingly focused on my work in disability. I’ve been involved with programs like Steptember, disability engagement at Griffith University, and presenting at schools and other events,” Daniel said.
Daniel has helped to co-develop, and continues to work closely with the CPActive Young Changemakers program; an initiative which is designed to empower young people with the skills to become advocates for themselves and the wider disability community.
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“We had 61 people signup for the first Young Changemakers program. It’s really great for those who have finished school and are figuring out what they want to do, what they love, and how they can better advocate for themselves,” Daniel said.
It’s about making that transition to finding work, building professional networks, and also how to advocate for those things that they are passionate about.
The 12-week Young Changemakers program is split into four topics, building on one topic at a time.
Daniel’s ultimate goal is to work in Australian politics, to be a voice for the natural environment and also for people with disability, and to encourage a more inclusive society where people of all abilities can have equal opportunities.
“Government is where I believe I could make the biggest impact for those issues that I’m passionate about,” Daniel said.
“I have been lucky to have some mentorship in politics from John Howard – we first met some years ago, and he’s taught me that it’s important to take as many opportunities as you can, because you never know what positive things it could lead to.
“I have a lot going on at the moment and, while it is quite busy, it’s fantastic to know that I’m making a difference in these areas that I’m passionate about. It’s all about managing my time properly to take on what I can while giving 100% effort to those things.”
It’s important to take as many opportunities as you can, because you never know what positive things it could lead to.
For more information about topics relating to individual and systemic advocacy, My CP Guide has information resources for people of all age groups with cerebral palsy. Visit the Independence & Inclusion section of the site to browse a variety of resources.
Learn more at the CPActive Young Changemakers webpage.