On Wednesday 15th November national youth work charity UK Youth will be celebrating young people’s achievements with the annual Youth Achievement Awards ceremony. Held at London’s Butchers’ Hall, the Awards Dinner celebrates the vital and positive contribution that young people make in their local communities and recognises their enterprising spirit.
The ‘Youth Achievement Awards’ is UK Youth’s national scheme, externally accredited by ASDAN. It rewards young people’s skills and voluntary participation in local projects. With “66% of young people aged 16-24 involved in informal volunteering”[1] it is not surprising that the awards have grown immensely since 1997 when they were first introduced. They are now a well-respected national award, with over 17,000 young people from over 1,000 different youth groups participating in the scheme.
The impact the Awards can have on young people’s lives was also highlighted earlier in the year at a House of Commons seminar ‘Making Volunteering Count’ which was chaired by Ed Miliband MP, Minister for the Third Sector.[2]
It is particularly fitting that this event takes place within Enterprise Week as “young people are more likely to become social entrepreneurs than any other age group. “[3]
Youth workers and teachers alike have praised the awards for engaging young people of all backgrounds in the activities that really interest them; building essential communication, problem-solving, team working, and organisation skills; and endowing young people with a sense of achievement and confidence in their unique abilities.
Jill Burdis at Greenfield School in Durham says “When the young people go out into the wide world I want them to be confident in their life skills. As a result of using Youth Achievement Awards, the majority of my group have become more independent and self-motivated workers which are qualities that employers look for.”
“The Youth Achievement Awards give young people a pathway to develop their personal and social skills, recognises their achievements, and tonight’s event celebrates the success of the thousands of young people participating in the programme. UK Youth is delighted to have the support of Accenture, youth volunteering organisation V, and the many employers who support and endorse the Awards.” – John Bateman OBE, Chief Executive, UK Youth
The evening will also showcase films from Film for Youth, the charity’s film festival for young people which is supported by Film Director Guy Ritchie.
For further details of the Youth Achievement Awards Programme contact Charmaine Williams, YAA Co-ordinator at UK Youth on 020 7242 4045 ext.33 or at Charmaine@ukyouth.org
For further media assistance (interviews, quotes, images, comment) contact Laura McVeigh, Media Relations, UK Youth on 07779 617055 or on 020 7242 4045 ext.34 / laura@ukyouth.org
Notes for Editors
- UK Youth is the leading national youth work charity – www.ukyouth.org supporting over 750,000 young people, 40,000 volunteers and 7,000 youth clubs, groups and projects across the UK. UK Youth helps young people to raise their aspirations, realise their potential and have their achievements recognised.
- Established in 1997 by UK Youth, the Youth Achievement Awards are now well established in a wide range of youth organisations, schools and educational projects. The Youth Achievement Awards are an activity-based approach to peer education, and help young people develop a wide range of life skills through a flexible and informal approach.
- Film for Youth, supported by film director Guy Ritchie, challenges young people to make a film which reflects the lives, concerns and aspirations of young people. Visit www.filmforyouth.org for more information.
[1] Source: Russell Commission Final Report, Ian M Russell, March 2005 www.russellcommission.org
[2] The Youth Achievement Awards were formerly recognised in the government’s recent Russell Commission report, which placed the Awards at the very heart of a new national framework, recommending UK Youth’s scheme as the way to “recognise young people’s personal development through volunteering.”
[3] Social Entrepreneurship Monitor, 2006 www.gemconsortium.org
