Step into the spotlight

Too much wonderful, inspiring work with children, young people and their families goes unsung. The Children and Young People's Services Awards exists to do something about this.

The 2008 awards will be presented in London in November. Now in their third year, the awards have become the gold standard for everyone working with tomorrow's generation. They enable projects and individuals from right across the UK to have their achievements applauded and shared.

The awards provide a great sense of pride, a boost to profile and morale, and a source of ideas and inspiration to the children and young people's sector at large. I hope you will think back over the best things you've done in the past year, put in your entries and join us for a great night out. It's your chance to shine.

Ravi Chandiramani, editor, Children and Young People Now




What can the art form of dance possibly have in common with young offenders?

Rather a lot, as it's been proved. The Academy, an intensive programme of dance training to provide young people with a real alternative to custody, waltzed off with the Justice Award in the 2007 Services Awards. The project was developed by Dance United in partnership with Bradford Youth Offending Team and crime-reduction charity Nacro. While some participants of the programme have gone on to further dance training, for others it provided a burst of self-confidence and plenty of transferable skills. As a result, many of the young people have returned to mainstream education or vocational training.

The Services Awards, sponsored by the Children's Workforce Development Council, recognise individuals as well as projects. Nominated by the Fostering Network, Ena Fry in 2007 won the award for Children and Young People's Champion for her tireless work for the rights of children in care over more than 30 years. Many of the young people Ena has worked with have kept in touch with her, which is testament to the impact she's had on their lives. A couple of them came up to embrace her on receiving her award in what was one of the most poignant and touching moments of last year's ceremony.

Importance of sector

CYP Now's Children and Young People's Services Awards serve to rouse us all and reaffirm the incalculable importance of the sector's work. Among the 23 awards up for grabs this year are three new categories. There's an Arts and Culture Award for the initiative that has done the most to inspire young people towards cultural activities, a concern that has moved up the government agenda this year. There's a Financial Capability Award, for the project that has done the most to help educate young people about how to manage their money wisely. Given the so-called credit crunch, this is a particularly topical new entry. And, for the first time, there will be an Award for Outstanding Achievement. This will be given to the individual who, through leadership, passion and perseverance, has, over a considerable period of time, made an outstanding contribution to further the life chances of children and young people. This is the only category not open to entries but will be selected by CYP Now.

The deadline for entries this year is 11 July and the presentation of the awards will take place on 20 November at the striking Georgian clubhouse of the Hurlingham Club in Fulham, west London. Get your entry in and help us make it a night to remember.

THE CATEGORIES
- Best corporate parent
- Children and young people's champion
- Health and wellbeing
- Stay safe
- Integrated working
- Play
- Workforce development
- Justice
- Youth work
- Early years
- Learning
- Extended school
- Best use of information systems
- Active citizens
- Financial capability
- Council of the year
- Arts and culture
- Advice and guidance
- Preventative work
- Third sector engagement
- Anti-bullying
- Children and young people's services team of the year
- The award for outstanding achievement
For more details, go to cypnow.co.uk and click on the purple awards
button.

THE JUDGING PROCESS

We are assembling a panel of more than 20 experts and professionals to judge the several hundred entries we expect to come in. The judges will be representative of the broad scope of the children's and youth sector and its numerous interests and concerns. These adult judges will meet at CYP Now's offices in west London on 19 September. Their marks will provide a shortlist of entries for each category.

We recognise that services for children and young people tend to be better and more relevant to them when they, as the service users, have helped to shape their formation. With this in mind, we will hand-pick a panel of young judges to examine the shortlisted entries in one day during the October half-term. The marks of the young judges will be added to the adults' scores to calculate the winners in each category.

Judges will not be looking for bland, reassuring statements, but evidence of real innovation that's made a positive impact. Your entry should be specific, straightforward and, wherever possible, backed up by hard facts.

HOW TO ENTER

WHO CAN ENTER?

Any organisation, setting or project, whether in the public, voluntary or private sector, can enter work relevant to each category. Entries are welcome from across the UK, and, where appropriate, from individuals as well as teams.

ELIGIBILITY

Entries must relate to work undertaken, or ongoing, between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2008. Sponsors are not allowed to enter the category they have agreed to sponsor.

COST OF ENTRY

Entry is absolutely free, thanks to support from the Children's Workforce Development Council, which has made it possible to waive the entry fee.

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES

It's 11 July. Any entry received after then without prior agreement will incur a charge of £50 plus VAT, irrespective of whether the entry is from the public, voluntary or private sector. This is to cover the extra cost of administration.

THE AWARDS CEREMONY

This takes place on the evening of 20 November at the Hurlingham Club, Fulham, west London.

GET IN TOUCH

ENTRY PACKS: If you missed the awards entry pack in the 23 April issue, you can download it. Just log on to cypnow.co.uk and click on the purple awards logo. Alternatively, contact Steven Lewis on 020 8267 4042 or steven.lewis@haymarket.com.

SPONSORSHIP: If you are interested in sponsoring one of the 23 categories, contact Joanna Burke on 020 8267 4785 or joanna.burke@haymarket.com.

TICKET BOOKINGS: To secure your tickets to the gala ceremony on 20 November, contact Steven Lewis on 020 8267 4042 or steven.lewis@haymarket.com.