The Connect Award
recognising innovative and effective efforts to bring communities together.
Adrian Stone
Adrian volunteers as an inclusion officer at a Centre for young people to build their self-esteem and provide positive activities and alternative education. He has connected people by promoting good relationships between young people and the local community as well as by using his sign language skills to help deaf people access the Centre. He has organised community activities and delivered a graffiti arts project to allow individuals from all areas of society to come together and as a result has successfully broken down barriers and stereotypes.
The Envision Baverstock Team
Charlotte Brookes, Beth Callaghan, Anthony Large, Jamie Linton, Daniel Smith and Dale Williams.
The Envision Baverstock Team created a project called ‘The Big Clean-Up’. The mission for the project was to help improve the local environment, bring members of the community together to perform a big litter collection and showcase positive youth action. The project not only helped improve the local environment but also simultaneously provided a platform for cross generational work which united the community.
The Burntwood School Envision Team
India Askem, Ujala Nasir, Sara Usmani,Zaynab Osman, Sophie Collins, Mehvish Raza, Moonisah Bajwa, Sara Kamran, Lailah Kara-Newton, Navneet Bhamra, Naila Karim, Nisha Tanna, Duaa Ahmed, Ayesha Daud, Lily Heathcock, Asante Crichlow, Farah Chowdhury, Fatima Ahmed, Maria Ahmed, Mehreen Bakhtiar and Abiola Oduwusi.
The Envision team from Burntwood School felt that not enough people socialised with others from a different cultural, racial or religious background. They decided that the best way to combat these stereotypes was by holding a 'Cultural Week'. They organised food tasting, a cross-cultural Blind Date and a day where everyone wore a blue ribbon to signify unity. The event featured Bhangra dancing, a dhol drummer, acapella singing and a speech from a local MP.