People are being asked to nominate the organisations and individuals who they think epitomise child friendliness in Leeds, for the city’s second Child Friendly Leeds Awards.
Children and young people will be at the forefront of the awards, which are being organised by Leeds City Council in partnership with the Yorkshire Evening Post and Leeds City Varieties.
A group of young people will be selected to plan and run the prestigious awards, which will take place on 29 January 2015. Young people will also form part of the judging panel.
The awards will showcase the talent, achievements and energy of the city’s children and young people, as well as highlighting and celebrating what individuals, places and organisations are doing to make Leeds a child friendly city.
The Child Friendly Leeds awards also recognise the lengths that people go to to make Leeds a great place to grow up, especially for those children who may have additional challenges – including children who are looked after by the council, or are particularly vulnerable, and those who have disabilities or additional needs.
People across the city are now being asked to nominate places, people and organisations in Leeds they think are particularly child friendly or make a big difference to the lives of children in Leeds. Nominations can be made at http://childfriendlyleeds.wordpress.com/awards and the deadline for nominations is 31 October.
Councillor Judith Blake, executive member responsible for children’s services said:
“We are delighted with the amount of support we’ve received so far for our child friendly Leeds ambitions, especially from our ambassadors and partners, and now is the time to celebrate all that people and organisations do, to make Leeds the best place to grow up.
“Becoming a child friendly city is not something, we, as a council can do alone. There are so many people across the city, who have really taken on board what we are trying to achieve, and these awards are a great opportunity for us to recognise and celebrate their great work and achievements.”
The awards, which are sponsored by British Gas, will be split in to five categories:
Best place in Leeds for children and young people: This is the award for the places and spaces that children and young people love spending their time: it could be a shop, a venue, a school, a youth club or a local café that always makes children and families welcome – places across the city that set an example to others.
Children’s Champion (two awards – under 11 years old, and 11 to 18): This is the award to celebrate a child or young person who has done or achieved something exceptional. Whether it’s someone who makes a big contribution to their local community, or caring for a friend or loved one who needs extra support, every day our children and young people do amazing things and the council wants to hear about, recognise and celebrate their contributions.
Looking after children and young people: This is the award that recognises the people who care for, support and inspire Leeds children and young people every day. Nominees could include: a kinship or foster carer who has transformed a child’s life; a teacher who inspires the imagination of their pupils; or a parent who has done something incredible for their children. The awards will celebrate what adults do every day for individuals and groups of children, all of which help to make Leeds the best place for children and young people to grow up in.
Best overall contribution to making Leeds a child friendly city: This is the award for the business, organisation, team or individual that has shown true commitment and made a meaningful contribution to making Leeds the best UK city to grow up in. It could be a business with an exemplary apprenticeship programme, a school that has made a major contribution to improving the local community, a sports club that welcomes and celebrates children and young people, or a team from a public sector organisation that demonstrates outstanding results by improving outcomes for children. The council wants to hear about the numerous activities and initiatives across Leeds that give children and young people opportunities, inspiration and optimism for the future.
