The Archbishop of York Youth Trust is to host a Key Stage 2 Young Leaders Award Headteachers Conference at Bishopthorpe Palace on Thursday 12 October with a keynote address from Archbishop Sentamu and a presentation from young leaders who have completed the Award.

Research undertaken by the University of Gloucestershire on the impact of the Young Leaders Award shows that young people spoke positively about the Award, particularly with respect to educational, personal and social issues.  This included a positive impact on the motivation to do well at school and to be around positive people; improvements in decision making and a desire to try new things; and working with and helping others. The research findings published last month show that 60% of pupils stated that they ‘agreed’ or ‘partly agreed’ that they would continue to volunteer in their communities after the programme had finished.

At the conference this Thursday, former pupils from St John’s CE Primary Academy in Clifton, Brighouse will be sharing their personal experience of undertaking the award. This included working with ‘BASH’, a charity supporting homeless people in Brighouse.  Pupils collected food and toiletries for the charity, sent letters to parents, made posters and did an assembly to their whole school to raise awareness and support. Personal challenges were also completed with a sponsored abseil for Comic Relief and a pupil who wrote an article for a magazine sharing her experience of having a sibling with a disability.

Helen Lever, Principal of St John’s Primary said,

“We are delighted to be able to come and share our experience of the Youth Award programme. Staff and pupils alike found the challenges of the Award were brilliant at developing knowledge, skills and practical experience in reaching out to help others in need in their community. I would encourage Headteachers to listen to what the children are saying about what they have learned, and to join the programme as soon as they can.”