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Birmingham Civic Society Celebrates Outstanding Young Citizens at Next Generation Awards Finals
Via Justine for Birmingham Civic Society
Birmingham Civic Society proudly announces the resounding success of the Next Generation Awards decided at the excellent 2023/2024 finals. It was an inspiring evening dedicated to showcasing the incredible talents and achievements of active citizens among secondary school students in Birmingham.
The event took place at Birmingham Newman University, on 17th October 2024 where four gold award-winning finalists teams presented their community projects to a panel of judges. St George’s School in Edgbaston, King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls, Harborne Academy and Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham.
The event celebrated the hard work of all participating teams who had worked relentlessly to design a project that supports their local community and provide an ongoing legacy for the students, the school and the community they represent.
Projects included:
- An intergenerational programme of events designed to fuse stronger relationship and positive outcomes between young and old.
- A pet therapy project to aid the well-being of students in school.
- A project aiming to preserve the heritage and native languages of school children to combat isolation and language barriers between elders and children,
- A project aimed at providing an ongoing support network for young carers with the aid of mentors, volunteers and specialist support services.
The talent from each team was inspiring and it was an outstanding night of progressive thinking, pragmatism and professionalism.
The judging panel included;
- Jacky Griffin, Chair of the Panel, BCS Trustee with extensive experience in education, arts and libraries services.
- Alison Cope, anti-violence campaigner, who lost her son, Joshua Ribera to knife. crime in 2013 and now works tirelessly to help prevent youth violence by sharing her son’s life and death story.
- Andrew Edgar, a Senior Lecturer in Education, Childhood and Professional Studies at Birmingham Newman University.
- Linda Enow, a Senior Lecturer in Education with a background in English teaching and,
- Ingrid Lee, Secondary Partnerships Lead at Birmingham Newman University.
After careful deliberation from the judges, Jacky Griffin announced the winning team as St George’s School Edgbaston with their intergenerational project working with two local care homes.
Students from St George’s School said:
It’s exhilarating to win and we are so happy. It’s been an exciting time putting the project together and we relish every moment we have to continue the good work – amazing!’
Luke Nicholls, Headteacher at George’s School Edgbaston says:
Our students at St. George’s School thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the intergenerational project. Our students predominantly from Year 8 and 9 worked as a team researching and canvassing school community views and opinions and then used these to plan their project with sustainability in mind. The final stage of the project involved the students delivering a range of different activities that were engaging for our local older-generation participants but also both fun and educational for them.
All students involved benefitted hugely from the transferable skills they developed throughout the project. They are now already passing on those skills to other younger students in school who will look to keep the project going for years to come. It’s clear that our students really enjoyed the work and enjoyed the working relationships they developed and learnt lots from the interactions they had with the older generation in our local community.’
The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Cllr Ken Wood presented St George’s School Edgbaston with the Next Generations Award’s winning shield and the Newman prize cheque for £1500 to make their project a reality. Students will also have an expert mentor to oversee and support their progress.
Stephanie Bloxham, Chair of Birmingham Civic Society says:
The winning team delivered an exceptional project, and we look forward to witnessing its implementation and the positive impact it will have on their community. We had an inspirational evening, highlighting the ambition, passion, and enthusiasm of our young people.
It was also heartening to hear about the remarkable activities taking place in both primary and secondary schools within their local communities through our BCS School Stars initiative. Congratulations to everyone involved!”
A special acknowledgement goes to the teachers and parents who supported the students throughout this journey. Their encouragement and guidance was invaluable.
As Birmingham Civic Society enter the 20th year of the NGAs, they are filled with excitement for what lies ahead and strongly encourage schools across Birmingham to participate. Together, they can continue to inspire and nurture the next generation of active citizens and civic leaders.
As well as the Next Generation Awards, BCS School Star awards were presented to schools across the city that have gone the extra mile to support their communities in times of need.
Birmingham Civic Society extends deepest gratitude to Jo Dunlop, NGA Project Manager, whose tireless efforts have been instrumental in the success of the programme and the seamless execution of this fantastic finals event. Jo Dunlop, said:
The finals night is always such an uplifting and positive occasion and this year was no exception. The scheme is such a great way to get everyone thinking about how we can all do our bit to make a real difference.
It was also great to be able to host the finals at Birmingham Newman University this year who also sponsor the £1500 prize money, their support has been invaluable to the scheme meaning that we can put these passionate young people’s ideas into action.”
Jane Bradley, Associate Dean Recruitment and Partnerships, Faculty of Education, for Birmingham Newman University says:
Birmingham Neman University was truly delighted to host the Next Generation Awards. It was clear from the remarkable projects presented that they had not only fostered collaborative working within school teams, but had also made a significant impact on the wider community.
The evening was both inspiring and a powerful reminder of the vital importance of community engagement and active participation in creating positive change.’
For more information on the Next Generation Awards and School Star Awards, and how your school can get involved, please visit birminghamcivicsociety.org.uk and via on Social Media.
