NCVYS Young Partners Award

Nominations for the 2011 awards have closed.

After all the longlisting and shortlisting of organisations and projects across the country, the Young Partners Award ceremony is approaching fast. Saturday 15 October 2011, will see 12 youth organisations gather to celebrate voluntary and community youth organisations and projects from England who actively involve young people in decision-making processes.

These organisations have made the final shortlist of the Young Partners Award and after going through 4 shortlisting processes; they will wait to hear if they have won an award within their category, which will be announced at the ceremony. Please have a look to see who has been shortlisted and the award category they come under:

Midlands Category

Autzine - www.autzine.suffolk.ac.uk

This is a quarterly magazine and website for young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and ADHD, to give them a voice!!

The K9 Project - www.k9project.co.uk

The K9 Project works with children and young people using dogs. Our aim is to improve their life chances by increasing social skills and raising self esteem, encouraging responsibility and commitment, and reengaging with practical, fun learning opportunities.

Vision Youth Cafe - www.visionyouthcafe.btck.co.uk

Vision is a Youth Café in Towcester and was created by a group of young people who, after a consultation with over 200 young people, found that Towcester were lacking in youth provision and believed that there should be somewhere young people could go to remain safe and supported.

National Category

Raising Your Game - Mencap - www.raisingyourgame.mencap.org.uk

Raising Your Game is a five year project for young people aged 14 to 25 with a learning disability or communication difficulty that have offended or may offend.

The Challenge Network - www.the-challenge.org

The Challenge is a programme for young people over 3 weeks in the summer, and 4 weekends in the autumn. It brings together young people from various cultural, socio-economic and religious backgrounds, including people from independent schools, people in care, those on free school meals and NEETs (not in education, employment or training).

Hearing Unheard Voices (UK Youth) - www.ukyouthhearingunheardvoices.org

Hearing Unheard Voices works with young people who are rarely heard, such as young homeless, carers, refugees, LGBT, BME, disabled, parents and NEET to speak out and have their voice heard about the services that they access, campaigning for change at local and national levels for a change of policy.

North Category

LGBT Youth North West - www.lgbtyouthnorthwest.org.uk

LGBT Youth North West is a regional organisation supporting LGBT young people and LGBT Youth organisations in the North West of England. The organisation is made up of existing LGBT Youth providers across the region covering Greater Manchester, Greater Merseyside, Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria.

Truth About Youth - North East - www.truthaboutyouth.org.uk

Truth About Youth - North East is part of the Co-operative Foundation's 3-year project, being run in the North East of England in partnership with the Regional Youth Work Unit - North East. The aim of Truth About Youth is to challenge and change the widespread negative perceptions of young people.

UC Crew - www.uccrew.co.uk

UC Crew is St Helens very own Break Dancing community group, which started in 2004 by a group of friends. Throughout the years UC Crew became an established group teaching dance to young people, taking on volunteers, create international events, performing for crowds, going on youth exchanges, pioneering dance in St Helens and making positive changes in the community.

South Category

Aik Saath - www.aiksaath.com

Aik Saath means 'Together As One' in Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu. These words also embody the ethos of our charity. We believe in working together with people from all communities, faiths and backgrounds to promote community cohesion and challenge violence and hatred.

MyBnk - www.mybnk.org

MyBnk are a charitable social enterprise helps 11-25-year-olds in some of the poorest parts of London manage their money effectively and make enterprising choices.

Wired Rock Cafe - www.wiredrockcafe.com

Frustrated at playing in cramped conditions at their parents’ homes guitarist Calum Radmore and drummer Jay Smith established Wired Rock Cafe in 2009. Wired Rock provides an environment in which young musicians, can come to and play a variety of instruments, perform together, write new material and make new friends.

What do the winners get?

£500 small grant towards developing a youth participation project
A NCVYS Young Partners Award and certificate
An activity day away at a PGL centre in England
A year's free NCVYS membership
An opportunity to deliver workshops at NCVYS events throughout the year
Promotional opporutnities through NCVYS publicity and receiving national recognition

How to Enter

We are no longer accepting nominations for this year's Young Partners Award. Nominations have now closed.

Sponsors of the Awards

The NCVYS Young Partners Award is sponsored by the BIG Lottery Fund, Participation Works and PGL. Organisations who are interested in sponsoring the award should contact Selena Brown at selena@ncvys.org.uk.