A prime trio of Lanarkshire initiatives had been among the many winners on the prestigious nationwide youth work awards run by YouthLink Scotland.
North Lanarkshire youth local weather ambassadors gained the atmosphere and conservation class, whereas the Go To psychological well being service run by Regen:fx with Liber8 in South Lanarkshire was awarded the well being and wellbeing prize.
Youth staff from the group studying and improvement division at North Lanarkshire Council had been named the group of the yr, whereas supervisor June Ford was runner-up within the “inspirational chief” class.
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The local weather ambassadors had a key function ultimately yr’s COP 26 atmosphere convention in Glasgow the place they had been a part of Scotland’s youth local weather declaration, met atmosphere minister Mairi McAllan and shared their quick movie, Pricey World Leaders.
It noticed members quiz council leaders and set out their requests for motion on local weather change; it gathered greater than 1000 views and was extremely recommended at each the Schooling Scotland studying for sustainability awards and within the Hold Scotland Lovely and Display screen Scotland youth local weather movie undertaking.
Group members have met weekly on-line or outside since forming simply over a yr in the past, and take motion by finishing up litter picks, selling conservation of their communities and operating workshops, in addition to exploring environmental points by way of inventive initiatives.
North Lanarkshire’s youth work group took the nationwide award in recognition of their “famend participation charges” with greater than 700 younger individuals reaching a spread of awards such because the Saltire and Dynamic Youth schemes final yr.
They co-ordinated childcare hubs throughout the Covid pandemic and located new methods to ship digital and indifferent alternatives such because the Large Camp Out on-line occasion, with judges noting: “Their response to the pandemic ensured that younger individuals throughout the world had been supported by way of troublesome and difficult instances.”
Described as “sector-leading”, the group have additionally efficiently engaged with younger individuals who expertise intersectionality and the hostile results of poverty, and have created a brand new transformational board – unanimously backed by councillors – to make sure improve the voice of younger individuals with the native authority.
Larkhall-based Regen:fx youth belief earned the well being and wellbeing title for his or her Go To psychological well being service, described as a “groundbreaking [and] impactful partnership” with youth staff and devoted counselling service Liber8 Lanarkshire.
The undertaking consists of one-to-one help, youth management, peer mentoring, counselling and life expertise, and is led by a youth advisory panel whose members have lived expertise of psychological well being points and who've helped develop youth programmes and a toolkit with recommendation, actions and phone particulars for help providers.
It helps enhance the “psychological well being and life possibilities for a few of the most susceptible younger individuals in South Lanarkshire” by way of alternatives starting from volunteering and employment programmes to motion sports activities.
Belief supervisor Wendy McIinally mentioned: “Our youth staff are additionally certified CBT therapists so are uniquely outfitted to reply to the wants of younger individuals; this non-clinical, youth-friendly strategy has resulted in a service younger individuals discover simple to have interaction in.
“All of our younger individuals reported a rise in additional constructive psychological well being and wellbeing which demonstrates the facility of this partnership.”
Group member Rebekka Springett added: “Being a part of Go To has helped me grow to be assured in myself and supplied me with alternatives that I assumed I might by no means have the boldness to participate in.”
In the meantime, management finalist June Ford was described as “the inspiration upon which North Lanarkshire’s gifted youth work group is constructed” for her affect each on younger individuals and on her colleagues
Judges famous that the group supervisor’s “ardour for younger individuals meant the group thrived within the adversity of the pandemic, creating protected native areas, widening entry to accreditation, selling out of doors studying alternatives and launching a number of youth voice teams”, and including that she has “created alternatives – and sometimes careers – that merely wouldn’t have existed with out her drive and willpower”.
The awards had been introduced at a dinner in Glasgow hosted by Nonetheless Sport star Jane McCarry and attended by youth work minister Jamie Hepburn, the Cumbernauld MSP.
YouthLink Scotland chief government Tim Frew mentioned: “The local weather ambassadors have proven the true energy of youth voice and motion, altering attitudes of their area people and being a part of a worldwide youth motion to avoid wasting our planet.”
“North Lanarkshire’s youth work group and the Go To psychological well being service are incredible examples of life-changing work, supporting younger individuals once they want it essentially the most.
“It’s been a tricky couple of years to be a teen to say the least, and the numerous restrictions and challenges confronted by younger individuals throughout this pandemic have required a double dose of that spirit, grit, optimism, agility and resilience.”
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