The 16-year-old has been a member of Spectacular Screenings for the last three and a half years and a member of the Forbes Youth Advisory for the past two years and has significantly contributed to the development and success of both committees.

As part of the Spectacular Screenings group, Mitchell has volunteered to provide 26 community movies, as well as partnering with community organisations to present movies for events such as Elvis on the Lake, International Women’s Day and Seniors Week.

In this group alone he has volunteered approximately 200 hours, as well as being involved in other voluntary roles such as raising money at the Forbes North Public School fete, teaching karate to younger students in his group Kumiai-Ryu, dressing up as Book Bob for Forbes Birth to Kinder events, playing guitar for residents at Jemalong Residential Village and donating toys to Havannah House’s Christmas Lunch and the Women’s Refuge.

Mitchell presented at the 2013 NSW Youth Council Conference in Dubbo and has been involved in the planning and implementation of Youth Week activities and events in 2013 and 2014, as well as supporting Forbes White Ribbon Day March in 2013 and 2014.

Last year, as a member of Spectacular Screenings, he was awarded the 2014 Children’s Week award for community commitment.

Mitchell was over the moon to receive the Junior Citizen of the Year award on Monday but said it was a huge surprise.

“It was a great honour,” he said.

“I didn’t expect it at all, I was shocked.”

Mitchell said he enjoys volunteering and gets a lot out of helping other people.

“You get new experiences and it can just help you later on,” he said.

“I like the satisfaction of helping the community.”

Forbes Shire Council’s youth liaison officer Natalie Walker nominated Mitchell for the award and said she was thrilled he won.

“I think Mitch is a deserving award recipient,” she said.

“He’s very community minded and he’s got a lovely personality and nature - he’s always happy to help out and nothing’s too much trouble.”