Highly Commended Award for Street Talk

On Monday evening I had the pleasure of attending the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People's Participation Award ceremony in Stormont.

The Children’s Commissioner established the Awards last year to recognise and celebrate the participation and active engagement of young people in public life. They are open to all government departments, arm’s length bodies and other public sector organisations.

This year there were two categories, ‘Putting young people at the forefront’ and ‘Creating space for young people in decision making’.  The first category was for projects which were set up by organisations who specifically aim to include children and young people in decisions directly affecting them and the second category was designed for projects working directly with young people, but in this category young people were involved in wider decision making.

The Strand Road Neighbourhood Policing Team had been nominated in category one for its Street Talk project.  The project worked with 48 young people from different backgrounds and interface areas, or who have a history of offending, or are at risk of engaging in offending behaviour. The project used diversionary arts training and other activities to engage with young people, capture their interest, promote creativity, promote positive use of free time, and divert them from negative risk taking behaviour.  

I visited the project last August and was really impressed with the work of the young people and how it was breaking down the barriers between communities and young people and the police.  I was delighted that the project received a highly commended Award and this was appropriate recognition for my colleagues in Strand Road and for The Playhouse who partnered with us.  What perhaps makes these Awards all the more special is that it was a panel of young people who designed the Award criteria, selected the finalists and ultimately the winners.

This is just one of the many partnership initiatives which the PSNI are involved in every day across Northern Ireland.  Despite all the various challenges that we face, the 'day job' must and does go on.  It was great to see the young people recognised and rewarded for this excellent initiative.

I want to add my congratulations to all of the other Award winners. There were so many great initiatives, so for the Police Service of Northern Ireland to get short listed, never mind highly commended was very pleasing. 

If you would like to find out more about all the projects and recipients click http://www.niccy.org/ParticipationAwards

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), Patricia Lewsley-Mooney pictured along with Deputy Chief Constable Judith Gillespie and members of the Award Panel, Jill Lapping, Nikita Harkin, Aaron Gorman, Eve Malcomson, Barry McCrory, Emma Hegarty and Stephen Beattie. (Picture courtesy of Aaron McCracken/Harrisons)