Child friendly Leeds awards – five quick questions with one of last year’s young organisers

Nominations for the child friendly Leeds awards 2015 are now open! So if you know a great place in Leeds for children and young people, or someone who’s making a big difference to children’s lives, then pop over to our nominations page and make a nomination!

This year the awards will once again be organised by a planning committee of Leeds children and young people. To give you a little taste of what the awards ceremony will be like and why you should make a nomination, we asked Jamie-Leigh, who was on the planning committee for the 2014 awards, five quick questions about what makes the child friendly Leeds awards so fab…  

You were on the planning committee last year, why did you get involved?

I was one of the hosts and I helped the event because I feel the work for young people should be celebrated, and this should be shown by the young people. We are the ones who know best what Leeds is like for us.

How did you find the experience? Would you recommend it to other people?

The experience was one of the most rewarding things I’ve done. I got so much from the event and had tons of fun doing it. For anyone thinking about it… it’s well worth doing

What were your favourite things about the awards and the planning process?

I think my favourite thing about the awards was seeing something I helped create come to life.

The awards recognise the achievements of children and young people, people looking after children and young people and the best places of children and young people. Why do you think this is important?

For me it goes without saying that most, if not all, young people where I live have a bad reputation. It’s unfair because normally it’s due to the actions of a just few people. Making people see that young people aren’t bad and that we do good things is important for me.  Coming from the area I did growing up, people expected nothing from me, but now I am in my first year at Kingston University. I want young people to have the chance I got and change people’s views of them.

Nominations are open until the 31 October- have you any messages for potential nominees?

You are one of the people that are changing the face of the future! It is because of people like you that I got out of the bad places I was heading. Never give up on your dreams and your aspirations because someone puts you down. You have been nominated because you are special, and doing something amazing. Keep doing what you do best. Good luck!

Thanks a lot to Jamie-Leigh for offering us her views on the child friendly Leeds awards. If you were inspired by what Jamie-Leigh had to say, then why not head over to the child friendly Leeds awards page now. Or join the conversation on Twitter with #CFLawards.