Ryder Tucker isn't afraid of hard work, which is a good thing as his fledgling lawn mowing business flourishes and his social enterprise company gains ground.
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The 12-year-old Alfredton lawn-mowing entrepreneur donates $5 from each mow he completes for his Tucker's Mowing Services business to Indigenous charities, and has launched a clothing company The Young Mob Club to help raise awareness of mental health in Indigenous youth.
Ryder mows lawns at around five houses each weekend, and some after school, with one of his mums always present to supervise.
"Getting tired is worth it because it's doing a good thing," he said.
"I came up with the idea to earn a little bit of money for myself and to donate to Indigenous charities, and I started The Young Mob Club to help raise awareness of Indigenous mental health.
"I feel like there's not many people who realise that some mental health of Indigenous youth are not okay when they pretend (the problem) is not there. It's a serious situation and I feel like there should be more awareness."
Ryder's The Young Mob Club sells clothing and eventually artwork with funds going toward creating a mental health program and an interactive computer program for youths to use and help with mental health.
Every month Ryder plans to donate a portion of his takings from the lawn mowing and The Young Mob Club to an Indigenous charity and this week he made his first donation, $50 to the National Aboriginal Sporting Chance Academy which runs academic support, wellbeing and cultural programs to more than 1200 young people a month across 29 schools.
"I chose NASCA because it empowers Aboriginal young people to stay at school and build life skills, and it's also helping with Indigenous sport," he said.
But there's an important pivot in his business, the support of his parents.
Because of his age and having to transport a lawn mower, whipper snipper and blower to jobs he relies on his parents to drive him to jobs across Ballarat.
"There will be a parent with me at ALL times during the mowing services and will be using all of my own equipment," he said on his website.
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Mum Stella said she was proud of Ryder for his work ethic and social conscience.
"I think it's fantastic. He came to his mums about his idea and it was really good because I do social work so I hope that has inspired him," she said.
"It was really good to hear his idea. He came to us saying he wanted to help raise awareness for mental health, especially in Indigenous youth."
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