Two local projects have scooped awards at this year’s National Youth Work Awards. Spartans Community Football Academy picked up the National Raising Attainment Award for their work with vulnerable youngsters in North Edinburgh, while the Action for Children Heritage and Inclusion Project has won the National Equality and Diversity Award, sponsored by BBC Children in Need.
Action for Children Heritage and Inclusion Project, Edinburgh
The Action for Children Heritage and Inclusion Ambassadors have co-produced a Charter that aims to help schools develop social justice and inclusion programmes for BME young people, creating positive experiences within the wider school community.
The Charter has recently been piloted in Royal High School and Broughton High School.
The Charter delivers champion groups in schools to ensure everyone has access and they have been successful in driving change, more BME young people are getting involved in all aspects of school life, from presenting to teachers through to running equality workshops for other pupils.
The Charter is supported by the local community as well as MSPs. It’s a great example of young people’s determination to tackle discrimination with their voice and not accept an unacceptable status quo!
The Spartans Community Football Academy
The Awards celebrate youth work and the youth workers who make a difference in the lives of young people every year.
The Raising Attainment category highlights the youth work happening in partnership with schools and colleges to make sure young people have a strong role in shaping their learning.
Spartans was recognised for working in partnership with schools across Edinburgh to provide a flexible, tailored learning pathway for students at their alternative school.
Students have gone on to achieve qualifications that would not have been possible without a different take on learning.
Tim Frew, CEO of YouthLink Scotland said: “Youth work is critical to the success of many young people in Scotland. In every area of the country there are countless examples of people, paid and unpaid who do great work with young people that quite literally changes lives.
“These two Edinburgh projects show that when the investment is made in our young people, and they are given the opportunity to learn and grow outside the classroom, their achievement and attainment improves.
“This team of incredible and dedicated youth workers have made a significant contribution to this generation of youngsters in Edinburgh and their impact will be evident for years to come in the lives of the young people they work with.”
The National Youth Work Awards 2019 are all about celebrating the power of incredible youth work and the vital role of Scotland’s 70,000 youth work volunteers and staff in the lives of our young people. This national event is co-designed with young people, who have been involved in the judging and the planning of the night.
To get involved visit the YouthLink Scotland website at www.youthlinkscotland.org
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