Youth Ambassadors back in BwD!

Next month local young people will have the chance to take part in a programme that aims to empower them to make a difference through social integration and social action projects.

Blackburn Youth Zone and its local partners is relaunching the Youth Ambassador programme for 12 to 16 year olds.

The Youth Ambassadors project has been funded through Blackburn with Darwen’s Our Community, Our Future social integration programme. It aims to provide young people with the opportunity to become more involved in their community through social action and team building, and working with other people their age from different parts of the borough and different backgrounds.

Now in its second year, the Youth Ambassadors project is delivered by partners from across the borough bringing together a range of skills, knowledge and expertise: Blackburn Youth Zone, Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, BwD Young People’s Services, Healthy Living, IMO, One Voice Blackburn and Youth Action.

The programme will bring together young people representative of the borough’s diverse population and equip them with the information, inspiration, practical advice and guidance they need to tackle any challenges they see around them. They will showcase their talent, leadership, and resilience, and alert others to their abilities and ideas to make a difference through social action.

Zaffer Khan, Interim CEO at Blackburn Youth Zone, said:

We are thrilled to be leading a very strong youth partnership in delivering a key social integration project in the Borough. We hope to continue the success of the first year of Youth Ambassadors by developing a programme of projects which instill community values among young people. Blackburn with Darwen is a diverse and successful community and Youth Ambassadors augments that proposition.

During year one  of Youth Ambassadors, a total of 235 young people benefited from the project, gaining the confidence and credibility to take action to improve their communities through positive social action.

14 year old Tyler is a former Youth Ambassador. He commented:

Through doing the Youth Ambassador Project I gained the confidence to believe that I could make a difference in my community. I bought myself a litter picker and set off around the streets, all together we have collected 44 bags of rubbish. When I finish doing my local area I want to go into different areas and make a difference there.

This year, young people will be involved in a variety of activities delivered by a range of experienced local partners, from outdoor pursuits to exploring our local culture. Young people will have the opportunity to work within their local community making a real difference.

Previously the Youth Ambassador programme was run over a 10 week period however, this year the programme will be delivered over four weeks. The decision has also been made to reduce the group size from 30 to 10 young people to ensure the project is COVID-safe. The project last year was delivered at two central locations however, this year will be delivered at various locations throughout the town. This will provide more accessibility opportunities for young people, alongside making a direct difference to the communities they live in.

Rebecca Ramsay, Blackburn with Darwen’s Interim Head of Prevention & Neighbourhoods, added:

We’re really proud of what the Youth Ambassadors project achieved in its first year, involving over 230 young people in this innovative approach to social integration. Many of the young people who took part gained the confidence and skills to take a lead in projects to make things better in their local areas.

Now, as we emerge from the Coronavirus pandemic, this project has a vital role to play in inspiring our young people to work together and to help make our borough stronger.

I’m excited to see what our partners in this project can achieve this year!

The Youth Ambassador project will run six times throughout the year. For more information, email enquiries@blackburnyz.org or 01254 292000.