Got any YOBs in your organisation - We want to give them an Award!

BYC's new Youth On Board awards revealed for 2012. Part of the BYC Youth on Board campaign (launched in 2010), the award categories were developed by BYC members. The aim of the awards is for young people to recognise their peers and supporters in youth participation, they are free and easy to apply for.

BYC this week launches its new Youth On Board awards (YOBs) - an exclusively youth-led rolling award scheme that recognises innovative and exciting youth participation, both for individual young people and those organisations who support it. www.byc.org.uk/get-active/youth-on-board-awards.aspx

The young people of British Youth Council want to celebrate the benefits of involving young people and encourage more organisations to engage young people in their work. The Youth On Board initiative, established in 1998 to support youth participation in organisations through training and development, and adopted as a BYC priority campaign in 2010, is now focusing on an award scheme, developed by BYC members in workshops in Oct 2010 and February 2011 as part of one of the three priority campaigns voted at our ACM in 2010. We are now been rolling them out as part of our broaden promotion of recognition of young voice achievements.

Kirsty Kahansas (Girl Guides) proposed the original campaign motion, which initially targeted charities for greater youth participation. The awards now apply to any organisation which promotes the principles and practice set out in our Manifesto:

"We believe that it is crucially important for charities, and especially organisations working with young people, to ensure that they are acting in the interest of all their membership. We believe that every charity and organisation whose work involves young people should pledge to make a firm commitment to include young people in decision-making. This can take the form of consultations, but ideally would extend to including young people in committees and management boards in roles that are suitable for their abilities. We believe that enabling young people to be involved in decision-making processes is indispensable if more people are to become involved in voluntary organisation and charities in the future" BYC Manifesto 2010-2011

Young people within BYC have therefore developed their own set of awards - the Youth on Board or YOB Awards - to celebrate organisations and projects that support youth participation in innovative and exciting ways, and to mark the fantastic achievements that can happen because young people are supported to get involved.

Rossina St James (Vice Chair BYC) said "I've always valued the views of my peers and we want this award to be special in that all the selection and judging is by young people, and we especially want young people to make nominations. Its important to us that these awards are not a competition between young people, with winners and losers, but that all who meet the criteria will get recognised. There are also categories recognising youth projects and organisations who listen to and encourage young people to participate."

Successful applicants will be given a dated certificate, and supporting projects can use a special good practice logo. Individuals will be given BYC badges. All award holders will be listed on the BYC website and Annual Report.

You can nominate organisations, projects or young leaders for the following awards. Nominations from young people themselves are especially welcome.

The Make a Difference Award

Mark the achievements of an individual young person who has made a real difference through their role in the running of an organisation or project - this may be through a charity board, youth forum, executive or committee. Recognise the sustained effort, creativity, leadership, and teamwork of young people. 

Innovation Award

Celebrate new ideas and practices that have made a real difference to how organisations work with young people.

Inspiring Project Award

Recognise efforts made by projects to engage young people and give them a voice.

Youth-led Award

Recognise youth-led organisations that are providing a platform for young people and young voices and making a difference at a local, national or international level.

Deadlines

Nominations for Youth on Board Awards will be accepted throughout 2012 and successful award applications will be announced every three months.

Judging - will be exclusively by a panel of elected young people.

The following deadlines therefore apply:

This new award joins the BYC Youth Voice Awards in promoting and recognising young peoples achievements - especially by their peers.

The "Youth On Board" awards follow in the footsteps of a long line of Youth on Board initiatives, promoted by BYC from 1998 onwards.