Unloc & Verizon Business scoop impressive awards at the Better Society Awards 2024
13 June 2024
We’re thrilled to reveal that we and Verizon Business won two awards at The Better Society Awards 2024!
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Inspiring Change was our hugely successful programme we held last Summer in partnership with the Peer Action Collective, Youth Options, Artswork and the Youth Endowment Fund.
Our young changemakers took part in a wide range of fun activities from problem solving challenges to confidence building games. Their main aim was to decide what mattered to them and develop social action projects aimed at tackling the issue of youth violence.
There was also the chance for young people to apply for funding of between £1000 and £3000 to support the project they designed and planned.
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This free programme was an 8 month experience for 15-19 year olds living in Portsmouth, Southampton, Eastleigh and Totton. Groups developed plans around knife crime, bullying, and youth violence (to name but a few) with one member going on to win an award at the PAC Awards in the Autumn, and a group winning the Campaign of the Month Award last month from Billboard Media!
Katie Reid took part in the Inspiring Change programme and her group ‘See the difference’ created an awareness campaign about bullying and how to get help and support. Katie and her team mate Sasha were later invited to the House of Commons to speak about their impressive project at the PAC Parliamentary Event, Katie’s been kind enough to share her thoughts with us:
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“When I look back at who I was just over a year ago I can’t believe i’m the same person. I first got involved with Unloc through the Inspiring Change project in Summer 2022. I was really nervous about doing it initially, I had a pretty rough time at school due to bullying, and I was very shy and often didn’t speak up or share my opinions.
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The Inspiring Change programme absolutely changed my life, it opened so many doors for me inside my own head, showing me that I have a voice, what I can be capable of, that I can speak up, I can speak passionately, I can come up with ideas of my own and actually create change around me in the world.
I feel a lot more confident in my future since completing the programme, and I think I’m more likely to be successful now too because I actually know what I am capable of. In March this year I attended the PAC parliamentary event which was held in the House of Commons. I attended with one of the amazing Unloc Facilitators and my Inspiring Change project partner Sasha. We were so excited and a little nervous – as it was our first-time taking part in an event like this, and neither of us had been to the House of Commons before.
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Knowing we were going to speak in such a prestigious place was so daunting, I can’t lie, but if there’s one i’ve learnt during my time with Unloc it’s that just because something is scary it doesn’t mean you can’t do it! You have to believe in yourself and your capabilities.
If you’d told me a year ago that i’d speak in the House of Commons I would have laughed in your face!
When we first arrived at Parliament we were surprised at how big and busy it was. There were a range of guests invited including, MPs, reporters, and business representatives. Once we were allowed into the meeting room Sasha and I talked to the invited guests and discussed our Unloc project.
We explained that we are passionate about helping teachers to notice the subtle signs of bullying so that they can ensure young people have the support they so desperately need. The guests all seemed to be truly interested and intrigued about what we had to say.
After a bit it was time for the speeches. I had prepared what I was going to say before I went, but that actually went out the window a little, as I found that when I was stood in front of everyone it was actually better to speak from the heart.
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I spoke about the research and findings that we had gained from our project, my personal feelings and experiences of bullying, what we have achieved so far, and what we hope to achieve in the future. Once I got into the flow the words just came out, I guess because it’s something I know first hand so well, the words came from the heart.
To have all these important people hearing my story and acknowledging what I, and millions of others have gone through due to bullying was so empowering, and finally I was able to give something back and do something to help other young people like me.
I feel so proud that I was asked to take part in this event, and although I was still nervous – the feelings of achievement afterwards were worth all the nerves. I never would have ever believed i’d do something like this.
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From taking part, I feel that my confidence and self-belief have increased. I was able to stand up in front of a room of strangers and talk about my lived experience and how I hope to help others avoid going through a similar bullying situation.
People under-estimate the damage that bullying does, and the long-term damage it has on people’s mental health and confidence, more needs to be done to combat bullying and i’m proud to be a small part of that.
My communications and networking skills have been developed hugely from this experience and as a result of sharing our passion and ideas. This is definitely a life event that I will always remember as one of the first stepping stones to my future.“
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Katie Reid
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Find out more about our Inspiring Change programme by clicking here!
Are you being bullied or feeling depressed or anxious?
Always talk to a trusted adult for advice if you’re being bullied or harassed. A parent, guardian, teacher, older family member or trusted adult.
Here are some free mental health support services that you can also access for help, advice or for someone to talk to:
Young Minds – support for children and young people
STEM4 – supporting teenagers with their Mental Health
NHS – Mental Health support for children and young people
The Mix – support for the Under 25’s
Beware of lurking Trolls – support and free resources for younger children
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Our dynamic Inspiring Change Programme is currently in full swing over the Summer with our group of inspiring young changemakers! To kick things off we recently held our first epic team building residential where our young people took part in a wide range of fun and team building activities.
These included Laser Tag, discovering some very tactical members of the team, a plot twist riddled Murder Mystery event, and an (extremely messy) cooking challenge where our bake-off trainees took to the ovens to prove their skills!
It was a huge amount of fun and clearly everyone enjoyed themselves – and more importantly bonded with one another ready for the next step of Inspiring Change!
Our young changemakers are now in the process of planning their Social Action Projects with the aim to tackle youth violence in their communities which they will deliver in October!
Their ideas, their energy and their passion to work together has really impressed us so far and we cannot wait to see their social action projects come to life!
This free programme is an 8 month experience for young people who are aged 15-19 and living in Portsmouth, Southampton, Eastleigh or Totton. It’s all a part of the Peer Action Collective and in partnership with Artswork and Youth Options.
Throughout the Inspiring Change programme we’ll see young people take the lead in tackling youth violence in their local communities through self designed and created social action projects or awareness campaigns.
There is also the chance for young people to apply for funding of between £1000 and £3000 to support their project they design and plan.
The programme will continue through to December 2022 and consists of 4 immersive weekends including a 1 night residential, monthly check-ins, employability workshops, and fun, interactive sessions to allow young people to make an impact!
Inspiring Change is allowing young people of all backgrounds to develop their project management skills as well as make a positive impact in their local communities.
Youth Violence & Social Action Manager, Katie Aris, said:
“This is a really exciting project and a unique opportunity for young people to make a positive impact in their communities and in the world around them. Youth violence is a problem in many areas, towns and cities around the UK. The programme is allowing young people to channel their energy, ideas and passion into making a real difference, and will support the national efforts in tackling youth violence around the country.”
The programme is part of a wider project in collaboration with Artswork and Youth Options which has seen 12 young people employed as peer researchers since September 2021. They are conducting research around the impacts of youth violence in order to support the social action projects.
We’d like to give special thanks to the Youth Endowment fund alongside the Co-op and the #iwill Fund for their support and funding for the Inspiring Change programme. Their support and belief in young people has allowed this project to become a reality and we cannot thank them enough!
Keep an eye on our social channels to see what they get up to over the next few months!
We’re thrilled to reveal that we and Verizon Business won two awards at The Better Society Awards 2024!
Last Thursday industry professionals from across the country gathered at Verizon’s slick London Hub in at MidCity Place, Holborn, for a Changemaker Moments event on Manufacturing.
During the February half-term and Easter holidays this year, 53 young people, in Year 11 and 12, from across Portsmouth participated in our ‘Portsmouth Inspires’ Programme, funded by NCS.
. We’re looking for a passionate & creative young person aged 16-25 in the Portsmouth or London areas to become our first official social media
We’re thrilled to reveal that we and Verizon Business won two awards at The Better Society Awards 2024!
Last Thursday industry professionals from across the country gathered at Verizon’s slick London Hub in at MidCity Place, Holborn, for a Changemaker Moments event on Manufacturing.
During the February half-term and Easter holidays this year, 53 young people, in Year 11 and 12, from across Portsmouth participated in our ‘Portsmouth Inspires’ Programme, funded by NCS.
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