National Youth Worker of the Year 2017 Award Winners
28 March 2017
The winners of the YouthLink Scotland National Youth Worker of the Year Awards 2017 have been announced with the top award going to Laura Campbell from Bellshill and Mossend YMCA.
In total thirty one outstanding individuals were recognised at the awards which took place in the Crowne Plaza Glasgow on Thursday 16 March.
Laura Campbell won the Youth Worker Supporting Attainment award, which is sponsored by Education Scotland, and received the Overall Winner award also. Laura manages three youth work projects within Bellshill & Mossend YMCA all of which aim to get young people into learning and achieving.
Accepting her award Laura said:
"For me it is about each individual young person. All young people have challenges, some are greater to overcome than others, and that is where youth work really works with young people who are not attending school, struggling with their mental health or just feel lost. It’s not about talking, it’s about really listening, that is how you turn someone’s life around and value them.”
A young person supported by Bellshill & Mossend YMCA said:
"When I started working with Laura I was out late, not going to school often and was being aggressive at home. My school attendance levels were at 23%. This was having a big impact on my achievements at school and I struggled to keep up with the workload. In the space of 4 months my attendance went up to 98%.”
A full list of the winners is available from the YouthLink Scotland website.
