Deadline: 12-Nov-21
Nominations are now open for National Youth Work Awards 2022 to celebrate youth work and the youth workers who make a difference every year in the lives of young people.
Young people will co-design the event with YouthLink Scotland staff, member organisations and event sponsors.
The last year has been exceptionally challenging for the sector as youth workers continued to support young people through the pandemic and the Awards will highlight the life-changing role youth workers have played.
Categories
The National Youth Work Awards are aimed at individual youth workers, managers, projects or groups, for work that is delivered in youth work settings or in other settings, using a youth work approach. The awards are a mixture of universal, targeted and specialist youth work provision. Award categories are listed below in alphabetical order:
- Arts & Creativity: The Arts & Creativity award recognises individuals or groups who have been highly successful in encouraging young people’s participation in the arts.
- Award nominees will be using a youth work approach to support young people’s learning in the arts or building arts and creativity into a youth work setting.
- Community- based Youth Work: The Community-based Youth Work award recognises an individual or group with a strong focus on delivering universal youth work in their local community.
- Award nominees will be adopting an approach that is generic and open to all in the local area including Voluntary Organisations, Uniformed Youth Groups and Local Authorities.
- Digital & Stem: The Digital & STEM award recognises an individual or group that has used digital technology, STEM approaches or social media in a creative way within their youth work practice.
- Award nominees will either be using digital technology or STEM learning within youth work or supporting young people to navigate the online aspects of their lives.They may have used innovative approaches to deliver fantastic youth work online during lockdown.
- Environment & Conservation: The Environment & Conservation award recognises an individual or group who have successfully worked with young people to develop an environmental, climate or conservation project using a youth work approach. The work will have been undertaken in a range of settings which could include: urban; rural; coastal or even digital.
- Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: The Equality & Diversity award recognises individuals or groups who are making a significant difference to the lives of young people facing discrimination, using a youth work approach.
- Award nominees will be promoting the Equality Act and be active in supporting young people facing additional barriers. For instance, protected characteristics, care experience, young carers and/or their experience of poverty. They will support young people to understand and challenge, prejudice and discrimination in all its forms.
- Inspirational Leader: The Inspirational Leader award recognises the value of quality leadership within a voluntary or local authority youth work setting. The award recognises that leadership within youth work happens at various levels.
- Award nominees will be demonstrating their ability to lead and inspire their teams during periods of change or challenging circumstances.
- Health & Wellbeing: The Health & Wellbeing award recognises individuals or groups that are positively transforming the health and wellbeing of young people. This takes into account all aspects of health including: mental health, emotional & social, physical health & sports, sexual health & relationships, food & nutrition, substance misuse & addictions and poverty reduction.
- Participation & Youth Voice: The Participation & Youth Voice award recognises individuals or groups that are leading the way in supporting youth-led advocacy and decision- making.
- Award nominees will be effecting change that benefits young people and the wider community
- Recognising Skills & Achievement: The Recognising Skills & Achievements award recognises individuals or groups who demonstrate best practice in raising attainment or closing the poverty-related attainment gap, by supporting young people to both develop and recognise their skills and achievements
- Team of the Year: The Team of the Year award recognises effective and high performing teams or partnership work, leading to positive youth work outcomes.
- Award nominees will be evidencing sector-leading practice through collaboration and partnership with all stakeholders.
- Volunteer Youth Worker: The Volunteer Youth Worker award will go to a volunteer youth worker who has consistently demonstrated their commitment to delivering quality youth work opportunities for young people.
- Award nominees, will be involved in face-to-face work with young people in a youth work setting.
- Youth Worker of the Year: The Youth Worker of the Year award recognises a youth worker with a passion and dedication to improving the lives of young people through youth work.
- Award nominees will be delivering quality services, which are having a positive impact on young people. Their contribution will be recognised and respected by young people, youth workers and partners.
- The Lifetime Achievement Award (Fellowship of YouthLink Scotland) is in the gift of the Board of YouthLink Scotland: The Lifetime Achievement award recognises an individual who has made a consistent and outstanding contribution to youth work, impacting significantly on the lives of young people.
- The award nominee’s contribution will be evident at a local and/or national level in a youth work setting. They will be held in high regard by young people, youth workers, managers and partner organisations.
Target Audiences
The National Youth Works Awards were first held 15 years ago. The audience includes more than 300 practitioners, managers, volunteers and supporters of youth work from many different sectors as well as Scottish Government Ministers, MSP’s, civil servants, other figures from public life and young people.
For more information, visit https://www.youthlinkscotland.org/news/september-2021/national-youth-work-awards-2022-nominations-are-now-open/