Council sees double nominations in youth voice awards

Amaan Iqbal

Amaan Iqbal, a young person who is part of Rochdale Youth Service, along with Gail Hopper, the director of children’s services, have both been nominated in the 2019 North West Youth Voice Awards.

The awards are run by the British Youth Council and they recognise and celebrate the very best of work being done by individuals or groups who ensure the voice of young people is heard.

Amaan Iqbal, aged 15 from Oulder Hill School, was nominated in the ‘Award for Personal Development’ category which recognises young people who have taken on extra responsibility, stepped up when needed and become a leader. 

He was nominated by the youth service because of his dedicated work on the curriculum for life programme, in addition to his important youth cabinet role as a voice for young people across the borough.

Amaan is a passionate advocate about the curriculum for life and also works incredibly hard, in his own time, to push the Make Your Mark campaign at his school and is passionate about increasing votes from young people.

Amaan said: “I couldn’t believe it when I saw I’d been nominated, I was so surprised. The awards are a really big deal so I am so proud to be nominated, I’m telling all my friends and family.”

Ms Hopper was nominated in the ‘Youth Voice Champion’ category which recognises those that go above and beyond in raising the profile of youth voice, locally or nationally and show a commitment to it. She was nominated by young people involved in the youth service because of the dedication she has shown to supporting young people, her commitment to their campaigns, particularly on mental health, and the way she pushed for young people to be able to use some of the dividend the council receives from Manchester Airport on issues and projects that matter to them.

She said: “I am so incredibly touched by this nomination, and the fact that it is young people who have nominated me means the world.  We work really hard to ensure we listen to young people and involve them in decision making and it’s something we’re really passionate about here in Rochdale. I see this nomination as recognition of the work all our staff in children’s services are doing to genuinely listen to and engage young people. We have so much to learn from them.”

The final will be held on 19 January 2019, in Middlewich, as part of the British Youth Council’s  North West youth convention session.