Young People Celebrate Success at Community Awards

Young people from the north of Sheffield were celebrating last night after being honoured at a special New Year Awards ceremony.

 

The Southey & Owlerton New Year Awards, which were organised by Sheffield Homes, Owlerton/Southey Green Area Panel and SOAR (Southey & Owlerton Area Regeneration), acknowledged the different ways that young people have made a difference to communities in the north of Sheffield.

 

The ceremony has held at Sheffield Wednesday Football Club with special appearances from Sheffield Wednesday Footballer Steve McLean and Sheffield MP David Blunkett. 

 

In total 11 young people and 8 groups were given awards in recognition of their hard work.

 

14-year-old Teresa England from Parson Cross was one young person honoured at the event.  Teresa received an award for her work as a peer mentor with Yewlands School and its feeder schools. Grant Bryce-Stephen from Yewlands School who nominated her said: “Teresa is one of fourteen peer mentors but her motivation and enthusiasm makes her stand out from her peers. Her work in the Yewlands family of schools benefits those more vulnerable pupils in the community. Pupils who then move onto Yewlands feel that there is someone who they can trust and talk to.”

 

20-year-old Darren Rodgers from Parson Cross received an award for his work with the Children and Young People’s Empowerment Project (CHILYPEP). He first got involved with CHILYPEP four years ago as part of the group of skateboarders who helped to plan and design the Cookson skate park. The experience helped Darren decide he wanted to pursue a career in youth work, and he went on to become a volunteer with CHILYPEP, before securing a paid position with the project. Lesley Pollard who nominated him said “Darren has helped to improve local facilities for children and young people and supported them to get involved in positive activities. He has shown that young people can and do make a positive contribution to their communities and has promoted a positive image for young people across the area.”

 

Cllr Gill Furniss, Chair of Owlerton/Southey Green Area Panel said; “Young people often get blamed for many of the problems within communities but in Southey and Owlerton we have many young people who do great work and deserve recognition. The Area Panel is keen to see even more young people involved in both the area panel itself and the wider community as a whole.”

 

Rachel Dawson, Community Engagement Officer at Sheffield Homes said, “The evening was an excellent opportunity to recognise the brilliant work that young people do.  It’s really encouraging to see our younger residents come together to help to improve the lives of other people in their communities.”