In his important new report for government on ‘Levelling Up Our Communities’ (September 2020) Danny Kruger MP highlights how ‘people have the capacity, with the right help, to effect positive changes in their own lives and the lives of others’. Evidence from nominations to the 2020 Room for Young People Awards fully reflect the report’s asset-based arguments through compelling stories of people achieving positive change before and during the pandemic period. InspireChilli’s Team Young People have now worked through the Award nominations to produce the final Room for Young People shortlist of potential winners. They have collated an inspiring shortlist whose stories showcase why we should always begin from a place that believes in people. There is much we can learn through these examples of inspiration, resilience and positive change, as the highlights summarise below:
Under the award for Community Action, we can learn from: how one mother’s passion to improve her community launched the Reach Up Youth programme that uses a focus on sport to positively engage and connect young people; the activism of a young person at Heather Court Foyer to advocate for Black Lives Matter by organising a peaceful demonstration attended by 3,000 people in their local community; or the inspiration of a self-taught programmer to set up and develop the work of ‘Coders of Colour’ to support under-represented BAME groups to get ahead in the tech industry.
Under the award for Staying Healthy and Creative, we can learn from: the dedication of young people at Bright Futures to create a magazine that provides useful content to help children and young women deal with increased pressures during the pandemic; the work of The Youth Association to sustain its ‘Healthy Holidays’programme, delivering the equivalent of 975 healthy meals while sharing information about Covid-19 regulations and helping people to overcome fears; or, again from Reach Up Youth, whose specific focus on physical and mental health through sport provides young people with a safe community of belonging, creating bonds and role models that transcend gang conflict or the pandemic.
Under the award for Using Strengths and Talents, we can learn from: the personal resilience of an amazing young person at Newhaven Foyer to progress from living in a car with few belongings towards a positive pathway for independent living; the determination of a young woman at Ravenhead Foyer to overcome her family loss and realise her talents as a key employee at a local social enterprise; or the inspiring story of a strong young person who drew from their own experience of adversity to help others deal with mental health challenges during the pandemic as a befriender at Peabody Community Foundation.
Under the award for Service Stars, we can learn from: the selfless way a young person volunteered to help fellow residents at Doncaster Foyer, reminding us of the vital role young people play to support communities alongside service professionals; or the positive energy of a staff coach at LiveWest, working to ensure that young people could achieve move on goals during the pandemic period; or the inspirational founder of Herts School Outreach Service, drawing from their lived experience to offer early intervention and resources for those in need of mental health support that has been sustained over the pandemic.
Under the award for Outstanding Practice, we can learn from: how Braintree Foyer believed in young people’s willingness to help out and be active during the pandemic by channelling their energy into a new painting and decorating project; the efforts of Clarion Futures’ lead youth worker at Roman Road Adventure Playground to ensure the playground could be managed safely during the pandemic while allowing children the freedom to play; and the work of the London Football Journeys project at Peabody Community Foundationto re-imagine its delivery model through an online programme that has continued to focus on youth leadership.
Finally, under the award for Wild Card entries, we can learn from: how Braintree Foyer’s ‘Saving Lives Award’ has used positive recognition to encourage young people to lead their own ideas to improve lives during the pandemic; the work of Bright Future’s Young Mum’s Network to sustain a positive space for peer support during the pandemic; or the inspiring story of a young woman at Verve Place, whose focus on safeguarding the life of her future child has enabled her to achieve personal change and overcome various health challenges over the pandemic period.
The truth is, society’s belief in young people is too often tempered with a mix of doubt, caution and self-interest. Whether we don’t like sharing our power with young people; whether we are sometimes more comfortable with safeguarding against negative risks than taking positive ones; whether we know more about how young people from disadvantaged backgrounds might struggle to offer insights and talents than how they can thrive if we give them the chance to do so. These are the question areas that we must continue to test with greater consciousness to believe more authentically in young people and ensure what the #IWill campaign calls the #PowerOfYouth.
The Room for Young People Awards offers a welcome reminder of why and how we can all believe in the power of people to achieve. The stories show us what can happen when we focus on strengths, trust in youth, and use our experiences to invest in good for others. Who wouldn’t want to be part of their community? Celebrate these talents by attending the Awards night on 3rd November from 4.30-6pm when the winners will be revealed. Register your interest at: https://www.livewest.co.uk/room-for-young-people-conference
