The Youth Work Excellence Awards are a chance to recognise and celebrate the outstanding youth work taking place across Wales. The winners of this year’s awards were announced last week at a ceremony in Llandudno.
The awards reflect the diverse nature of youth work in Wales and demonstrate the impact youth work and youth workers have on young people and their surrounding communities.
Winner of the ‘Outstanding Youth Worker’ award, Kelly Powell, runs GoodVibes, an LGBTQ+ youth group in Swansea. She has been a powerful force, providing a life-changing service to young people who attend the group, many of whom have experienced discrimination, bullying, and mental health issues.
The charity GISDA have won the ‘’Welsh Language Innovation’ award recognising the work they do providing support for homeless and vulnerable young people in Gwynedd. Services include providing accommodation, mental health support and volunteering opportunities, all delivered through the medium of Welsh.
The winners of the Digital Innovation award, Cardiff Youth Service’s digital team, have worked with a group of young people in Cardiff to establish a digital content creation group, the Young Creators.
The project has given youngsters experience of film making, editing, journalism and photography, as well as the chance to be part of an exchange project with a youth group from America.
The Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles said:
“Youth work plays a vital role in providing young people with safe and inclusive environments where they are supported to reach their full potential.
“It’s inspiring to see the many excellent examples of youth work being recognised in this year’s awards. People and organisations working together to ensure Wales is a place where every child, young person and family can prosper.”
The Welsh Government will provide £13m of direct funding this year to help ensure local authorities and voluntary youth work organisations support young people in their local areas. This funding has trebled since 2018, reflecting the vital role it plays in supporting young people to reach their potential.
