Young people are often perceived as a problem within neighbourhoods. When the new deal for communities (NDC) programme in Salford held an ‘Oscars’ event to celebrate local people’s contribution to the community, there was nothing for young people.

The NDC identified a need for a similar event for young people and sought to provide funding and support. The NDC recruited the young people however the whole project was managed by the LKC management group of young people.

The New Deal for Communities in Lower Kersal and Charlestown encouraged and recruited young people aged between 13 and 19 in these areas of Salford to plan, manage and stage an awards evening to recognise their contribution to the local community.

The event acted as a springboard to involve young people further in the regeneration of their area and included partner organisations from the Salford Youth Service, Albion High School and Salford Business Education Partnership.

The NDC's youth participation and development worker recruited a group of 17 young people to plan their own awards evening, which they named the LKC Awards.

While the youth worker acted as a facilitator, the group managed all the activities including deciding what awards would be given to writing risk assessments to enable them to use a local youth centre for the event.

Young people managed the budget, approached local agencies for funding, organised catering and entertainment, sought nominations, and then decided that everyone should receive an award rather than restricting them to one winner per category.

One hundred young people from the local area attended the LKC Awards and by putting on the event, the management group of young people gained AQA accreditation in planning a citizenship event. Their volunteering hours were recorded and rewarded with vouchers and trips.

The group has continued to work with the NDC and it is now expanding its work with young people. Learning points from the project involved allowing young people time to develop their own solutions and remembering that solutions can not be imposed as if young people are to take responsibility they must have ownership of a project.

Young people aged between 13 and 19 in Lower Kersal and Charlestown, Salford.

Time was a crucial resource to allow young people the space to develop their own ideas.

New Deal for Communities, Charlestown and Lower Kersal
Hannah Peake (Youth Participation and Development Worker), tel. +44(0)161 607 8528

//2006

case

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Quality of life

Skills improvement