Young People’s Voice (YPV), the LGBT youth campaigning and engagement project at Allsorts Youth Project has won the volunteering category of the British Red Cross Humanitarian Citizen Awards 2013.
The awards, supported by Canon, were held at the Bishopsgate Institute in central London on Saturday (5 October) and were open to young people under the age of 26 from across the UK.
The group of young volunteers represents LGBT youth by promoting awareness of their issues and rights in the wider community and engaging with young people on a number of platforms to get their voices and experiences heard.
YPV goes into schools to deliver anti-LGBT bullying workshops to educate young people about the impact of bullying and the importance of creating safe environments for LGBT youth to come out.
YPV recently led a positive images campaign, displaying the resulting posters in community and educational settings.
Over the past two years the group has set up several online campaigns for Bisexual Visibility Day and International Day Against Homo/Bi/Transphobia, which were particularly successful.
In February they put on the first LGBT Children, Young People and Families Day themed on celebrating togetherness and are planning an even bigger event next year.
Sam Thomas, LGBT Youth Engagement Worker who nominated the group for the award, said:
“Both collectively and individually, the young volunteers’ vision, dedication and commitment has been outstanding.”
Representing the group at the awards were Lucas Abdecain, 22, and Shane Murray, 19.
Lucas said:
“We weren’t expecting to win at all. There are some fantastic people here. This award means that all of our work tackling LGBTphobia through campaigns, events and peer education have been recognised and appreciated by a highly prestigious organisation.
“I am very proud to have had the opportunity receive the award in behalf of all the young people that has volunteered hundred of hours of their time and have changed lives.”
Shane added:
“We are bringing up a generation of young people who understand the effects of this bullying, and empowering them to tackle it in schools. The work we do is life-changing for a lot of young people in the area”
For more information about youth volunteering and to get involved, CLICK HERE: www.allsortsyouth.org.uk
OR EMAIL: samthomas@allsortsyouth.org.uk