Community groups across County Durham and Darlington have received high praise by Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen for their hard work encouraging young people to transform their lives.
Twelve groups have been honoured at this year’s High Sheriff Youth Awards, receiving funding grants to support their vital work.
A long supporter of the awards, the PCC provided funding worth £1k as part of her ongoing commitment to strengthen youth services and boost opportunities for young people to overcome challenges, realise their potential and flourish.
The High Sheriff Youth Awards, supported by the High Sheriff of County Durham, Michael Poole, and organised by Point North, the community foundation for County Durham and Tees Valley which administers the fund, recognise and celebrate groups that make a positive difference in the lives of young people.
This year, award winners shared a total of £35k in grant funding, announced at a celebratory event held at Hardwick Hall.
The PCC is poised to publish a new Youth Police, Crime and Justice Plan following extensive engagement with young people across the force area. It is part of her mission to give young people a greater say on the issues impacting their safety and to involve them in designing solutions.
Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen said: “Every year, the calibre of the projects seeking support gets stronger and I could not be prouder of the groups who have triumphed in this year’s High Sheriff Youth Awards.
“Young people are the future, and the exceptional talent, dedication and passion of all these organisations really is making a tremendous difference to young people’s lives and I congratulate them all.
“When given responsibility, support and opportunity, young people really can become the masters of their own destinies. It’s so important to me that we give them a voice and a starring role to play in their communities.
“With the publication of my Youth Police, Crime and Justice Plan in the spring, we will have a new framework - owned and designed by young people themselves – to further improve the lives of young people and prioritise action on the issues that matter to them most.”
This year’s awards recognised groups that support young people with their mental health, work with your offenders and those at risk of offending and help young people to become positive role models in their communities.
The full list of winners is:
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