Media release

7 September 2015

North East charity seeks nominations for inspirational youngsters

Young people across the North East who make a positive contribution within their local community look set to shine at a regional awards ceremony taking place at the BALTIC this December.

The tagline for the PoSBOs 2015 is “Celebrating Young People in the North East” because we believe that the work young people do to benefit communities across the North East should be celebrated and recognised.

The PoSBO (Positive Social Behaviour Order) Awards, now in their sixth year, celebrate and recognise the hard work and outstanding achievements made by North East youngsters.

The awards will take place at the BALTIC in Gateshead on Thursday 10 December and are hosted annually by Youth Focus: North East, a charity that works across the region to improve the lives of young people.

The awards aim to challenge and change negative perceptions and stereotypes of young people, with the event entirely organised by a group of young volunteers, formerly involved in the Truth about Youth programme.

Any young person aged 11-25 in the North East can be put forward for an award, and this year there are eight categories, including several awards which recognise young carers, young employees and an inspirational young people:

  • Intergenerational Award
  • Best Youth Project 2015
  • Young People’s Participation Award
  • Young Carer 2015
  • Young Volunteer Award 2015
  • Young Employee 2015
  • Youth Media Award
  • Inspirational Young Person/Group

Nominations close on Friday 16October 2015. For more details about the Awards and how to nominate, visit or call 0191 477 9966.

Sara Jackson, 20, from Newcastle,who won the Inspiring Others award at the 2011 PoSBO Awards said:“Winning the award for Inspiring Others in 2011 was a great achievement for me; it was a fantastic feeling to be nominated, let alone win the award!

“I was shocked to hear my name be read out; as the other young people in the category had done such fantastic work I was almost convinced it would have gone to them.

“The whole night was a great experience to see the amount of amazing and inspirational things young people were capable of and I’m sure this year will showcase some more great work carried out by the young people in the North East.”

Everyone who is shortlisted will be invited along to the awards ceremony and presented with their awards on Thursday 10 December 2015 at the BALTIC, Centre for Contemporary Art, in Gateshead.

As well as hosting the PoSBO Awards Youth Focus: North East, established 25 years ago, is an award-winning charity that delivers a number of regional programmes encompassing youth employment, health, education and the arts, and intergenerational work.

– Ends –

Media enquiries:

Contact:Jamie Mercer, email: or tel: 0191 477 9966

Youth Focus: North East, Suite 6, New Century House, West Street, Gateshead, NE8 1HR. Tel: (0191) 477 9966.

Find us at: twitter.com/YouthFocusNE or facebook.com/YouthFocusNE

Notes to editors:

About Youth Focus: North East

Established in 1989, Youth Focus: North East (formerly Regional Youth Work Unit – North East) is a regional hub connecting young people and the organisations and professionals who support them.

Progressive and dynamic, our award-winning organisation is rooted in the values of youth work. We support a network of over 1,500 organisations and individuals concerned with improving the lives of young people. Supporting the development of quality services – we want young people to have the best from the organisations they access and the professionals who work with them.

We see the potential, not the problems, in young people. We develop responses and demonstration projects that attempt to address big issues in young people’s lives. We also create space for young people to explore different issues and ideas; working alongside them to formulate responses.

Youth Focus: North East amplifies the voice of young people so they can be heard and we open up doors to new opportunities for both young people and professionals across the North East.

Award Categories

This year there are eight award categories for groups and individuals, which include:

Intergenerational Award

This award is open to any project that involves people from older and younger generations in all parts of the work. Both generations will have had an equal say and been involved in the planning, development and delivery of the project. Their work will have made a positive impact on project participants and in the local community.

Best Youth Project 2015

This award is open to youth groups and voluntary school projects. The project will have presented the young people with new opportunities through a unique and exciting approach. The project will have had a positive impact in their local area and the young people involved will have shown commitment and passion towards the project.

Young Peoples Participation Award

This award is for a project/initiative that has effectively involved young people in taking the lead in planning and organising the work, as well as delivering it. Participation means taking involvement further by involving young people in shared decision-making and making changes. We are therefore looking for nominations that can demonstrate how they involve young people in decision making, ensuring that opportunities are offered in a fair way and that the contribution of young people from all different backgrounds is valued.

Young Carer 2015

This award is for a young person that has dedicated his or her time to care for someone in need, whether that is a family member or close friend or relative.

Young Volunteer Award 2015

This award is for a young person that has gone out of their way and made an outstanding contribution to their local community through volunteering. They will have shown passion and commitment to their volunteering role and have made a positive impact on the people they work with, either locally or regionally.

Young Employee 2015

This award is for a young employee aged 16 to 25. They will have made a noticeable and outstanding impact in their workplace. They will have made exceptional progress in their time as an employee and they will have shown they are able to positively use soft skills in the day-to-day working environment.

Youth Media Award

This award will go to a group or individual that has shown passion and creativity in the field of media. Their work will have contributed and benefited their local community while projecting a more positive image of young people by breaking down the stereotypes the media can often show.

Inspirational Young Person/Group

This award is for an individual or group that is inspirational to other young people and their peers. They will have done something to stand out in their local community and be committed and passionate about improving the lives of other young people in the North East. They might have had to overcome some personal barriers to be able to become the inspirational young person/group they are today and they have shown they can use these experiences to influence their work.