In the running for the National Environment and Conservation Award are North Lanarkshire’s Youth Climate Ambassadors, who are supported by youth workers from North Lanarkshire Council.

Formed in February 2021 to take direct action on the local climate change issues, the North Lanarkshire Youth Climate Ambassador Group already boasts an impressive array of achievements.

Meeting online or outdoors each week to plan community-based environmental action, members carry out litter picks, promote nature conservation, run youth-led workshops and explore environmental issues through creative projects.

The group had success when their film 'Dear World Leaders' was highly commended in Keep Scotland Beautiful and Screen Scotland’s Youth Climate Film Project. The film was screened at COP 26 in Glasgow last year.

The young ambassadors also met Minister for Environment, Mairi McAllan MSP, during the launch of the COP26 Scottish Youth Climate Project, putting the voices of young people in Scotland at the heart of the climate conversation.

Youth Work Manager, June Ford from North Lanarkshire Council has been nominated for Inspirational Leader of the Year, for her services to her team, youth work and young people across the local area.

June has proven herself to be the foundation upon which North Lanarkshire’s talented youth work team is built – challenging her team be more confident, knowledgeable and adaptable to the needs of the young people it supports.

Her passion for young people across North Lanarkshire meant the team thrived in the adversity of the pandemic, creating safe local spaces, widening access to accreditation through #DofEWithADifference, promoting outdoor learning opportunities and launching several youth voice groups to promote social action and citizenship.

By investing her time, energy and experience in the young team she leads, June has created opportunities – and often careers – that simply wouldn’t have existed without her drive and determination.

“June challenged me to become the best CLD worker I could be, rather than me work from home and feel out of my depth. With June’s support, I felt I could power forward and improve the offer to young people in my area.” Youth Work Colleague

Finally, our CLD Youth Work Team for the Council have also been nominated for Scotland’s Youth Work Team of the Year.

With a youth participation rate that’s one of the best in Scotland, North Lanarkshire’s Youth Work Team are inspiring finalists.

Our youth participation and engagement infrastructure has been described as “sector leading”.

Recently the team supported the creation of a new ‘Transformational Board’ to enhance the voice of young people with elected members, which received the unanimous backing of the Council.

During the pandemic, they proved themselves to be responsive, adaptable, resilient and innovative. They coordinated childcare hubs, created huge online events such as the Big Camp Out and developed new ways to deliver digital and detached youth work.

Through comprehensive contact strategies, the team successfully engaged with young people who experience intersectionality and the adverse effects of poverty.

In the last year alone, 700 young people completed a range of accredited awards including the Dynamic Youth Award, Youth Achievement Awards, Saltire, Outdoor Discovery and John Muir.

Excellent teamwork, collaboration, innovation and professionalism has resulted in improved outcomes for young people in their learning, life and work.

The National Youth Work Awards 2022 are all about celebrating the power of incredible youth work and the vital role of Scotland’s 70,000 youth work volunteers and staff in the lives of our young people.

The Awards dinner will take place on Wednesday 1 June 2022.

To get involved visit the YouthLink Scotland website at www.youthlinkscotland.org