We are thrilled to announce that three charities and two individuals have been recognised for their outstanding work supporting young people affected by or at risk of violence in London through the inagural year of the London Impact Awards 2020. The Ben Kinsella Trust, StreetDoctors and XLP were all named category winners at the London Impact Awards last night, each winning a £30,000 grant to support their work in the capital. Azi Mohammed and Ebinehita Iyere were both announced as Young Leaders with Impact.
The London Impact Awards, supported by the Citi Foundation and delivered by The London Community Foundation, took the theme ‘Powering Youth’ in 2020, celebrating charities and individuals leading the way in working to reduce violence in London and helping to build positive futures for children and young people at risk.
The Ben Kinsella Trust, winner of the Best Innovator category, campaigns against knife crime, facilitating everyone to recognise the role they can play in prevention, and educates young people about the dangers of knife crime, helping them to make positive choices to stay safe. Judges praised the unique, interactive way in which they engaged with children and young people and the consistently high standards of their work. Shortlisted organisations in this category included Regenerate UK and the Greenleaf Trust/Spark2Life. You can check out a short video compilation of the nominated groups here.
In the Best Collaborator category, StreetDoctors took the Award for their outstanding approach in connecting young professional healthcare volunteers to 11 - 25 year olds, teaching emergency first aid skills as well as encouraging conversations about attitudes towards violence and its medical consequences.The two other shortlisted organisations were MAC-UK and Shoreditch Trust. Click here to see a short video of the organisations.
The Best Youth Voice Award went to XLP for their commitment to involving young people in the design and delivery of their work creating positive futures for disadvantaged and at-risk young people across a range of projects including sports, arts, education and employability. Art Against Knives and The Winch were also shortlisted in this category, and you can check out a short video of the organisations here.
The Awards also highlighted the work of two young people through the Young Leader with Impact category. Azi Mohammed and Ebinehita Iyere were both commended for their exceptional commitment and leadership in working to improve the life of their peers who may be affected by or at risk of violence. They will each receive up to £2,000 towards their personal development.
Commenting on the awards James Bardrick, Head of Citi in the UK, said:
We congratulate all the winners of these Awards and thank them for the work they are doing in London. The London Impact Awards demonstrate that powerful change occurs when it comes from the ground up. We’re delighted to be working with The London Community Foundation to recognise the outstanding work being done to support young people affected by or at risk of violence in London by groups and individuals working at the heart of their communities. By awarding grants for capacity-building to successful organisations and professional development to young leaders we are not just celebrating the success they have achieved in the past, but enabling them to grow and thrive in the future.
Kate Markey, Chief Executive of The London Community Foundation, said:
We see every day the impact that community groups and individuals have supporting young people affected by or at risk of youth violence. Thanks to the support of the Citi Foundation, the London Impact Awards have given us an opportunity to recognise the extraordinary work that is taking place across the Capital.
Congratulations to all the winners and shortlisted organisations - it was a truly memorable and inspiring evening.
To hear more about the evening, join the conversation on Twitter and check out some photos.