On Tuesday 13th of April 2021 it was announced by the National Diversity Awards that I had been nominated for the positive role model award in the disability category for 2021.
This nomination came as a total surprise however I am honoured to have been nominated for this national award.
I have worked so hard to ensure that children and young people have a voice over the past few years as this is something that I am very passionate about.
In 2016 I created the young person’s network in Herefordshire with the aim of getting all disabled young people aged between 11 and 18 an equal voice if they have a disability.
This network did exactly what I designed it to do from 2016 to 2020 and got all young people heard from across the county if they had a disability.
I have continued to champion the voice of children and young people since the young person’s network stopped doing what it was set up to do.
I have and currently sit on a number of different youth panels to get the voice of children and young people from Herefordshire heard by those who matter.
I have never sat of the youth panels for my own gain and it has always been about ensuring that I can get the voice of this group heard.
I have known about the National Diversity Awards for a few years now and never thought that I would be nominated for an award myself.
The deadlines for nominations is Friday the 4th of June 2021 and now that I have been nominated I will continue to stand up for the children and young people from across the county.
I believe that all children and young people have the right to speak out and be heard in any way that they are able to.
As I said that the start of this blog post I am honoured to have been nominated for this award as I have never done what I do for a thank you.
I see it as a success if one key decision maker listens to my voice on behalf of the children and young people who live in the county.
In my experience the people who are in power will normally listen to the views of children and young people as they see them as the next generation.
I know that I am not going to win the award because there are a number other incredible nominations who have done some incredible stuff.
I will continue with this work as it is something that I am very passionate about because as I have already mentioned in this blog everyone has the right to be heard.
I hope that I have inspired young people to speak out and be heard about issues that matter to them.
If you would to either vote for or nominate someone you know for a National Diversity Awards then you can do so by visiting the awards website. The awards nominations close of Friday 4th of June 2021.
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