Dragon’s fire is set alight by young people from the North West » Housing » 24dash.com

A group of young men from Unity Youth Club in Toxteth, beat off stiff competition from schools and youth units from across the North West to become Youth Voice 2008 winners by unanimously wowing a panel of regeneration and business professionals in the Dragons Lair. Nearly one hundred young people attended this years prestigious Youth Voice conference hosted by The Regenda Group at the capital of cultures newly restored St Georges Hall in Liverpool in October.

The North West groups were fully prepared with innovative and exciting ideas about how to develop a social enterprise project that would benefit their neighbourhood by working with local communities and having the opportunity to turn this project into a long term business reality. The groups presented their real life projects as they stepped into the Dragons Lair and were subject to a grilling by a panel of professional regeneration and business experts from across the North West.

The groups had to demonstrate not only how their projects worked, what benefit it has for their local community but how they would monitor and evaluate the projects after the initial prize money had been spent. The conference also included a range of bus stop tours where local social enterprise businesses were able to get first hand feedback from young people on current business issues.

All the groups that attended on the day presented well researched and innovative projects for their communities to the Dragons Lair, but the ones that stood out were : The 2008 Youth Voice winners of the Bill Hawkins Youth Voice Trophy receiving £2,000 Unity Youth Group from Toxteth, Liverpool. Their project Healthy start for a healthy future involves tackling local issues from obesity to knife crime. Through the team of young people and coaches involved in the project they have the skills not only to coach sports but also to talk and advise young people of the consequences of growing up with bad and abusive attitudes, of which they have first hand knowledge.

Unity Youth Group said on winning, "Fantastic what an opportunity. The project is about going into schools and clubs and doing activities to involve them ensuring they keep off the streets and dont get into mischief. The funding will start this project off and hopefully going forward we can bring kids in from the community and give them training and the chance to set them up for life. Second and third place went to St Marys Catholic High School in Leigh and Get Hooked on Fishing from North Liverpool both winning £1,000 and fourth and fifth place went to Hyde Technology School and South Wirral Young Peoples Project both winning £500.

Tom Evans, Get Hooked on Fishing peer lead coach aged 15, who came third, said "We're ecstatic about winning £1,000 to go towards getting more from GHOF. It was nervous seeing the dragons but after I saw them it was boss."

"I really enjoyed the bus stop tour seeing other businesses and I enjoyed performing my rap with the other lads. Paul Dickson, Director of Neighbourhood Regeneration at The Regenda Group and a Dragon said, The quality of presentations was fantastic and if this is the future of children and young people in the North West than we have a lot to look forward to. The winning project from Unity Youth Group stood out from amongst the rest and will hopefully show young people what role models can be. It has been a fantastic conference and I was excited to be part of the Dragons Lair. Lets hope all the groups take their projects forward and that the 2009 conference will bring even more young people with some fantastic new ideas."

Peter Flynn, from NewHeartlands and one of the Dragons said, "Thanks for inviting me to take part in what has been a truly inspirational day. Its a fantastic event that is a credit to everyone involved and really is one of the highlights of my working year."

Erica Ruston, Enterprise Director at Plus Dane Housing said, "I thought Youth Voice 2008 was a superb event. My congratulations to all involved in organising the event and to all the businesses in the bus stop tours for offering their experience and expertise. To see young people from right across the region pitching their enterprise ideas was fun and inspiring. An impressive bunch and from all walks of life. Ryan Manville, aged 16 and the youngest of the Dragons said, I really enjoyed the whole experience of being a Dragon for the day.

"I know what it is like being a young person put under pressure to hang out on the streets but I have been given opportunities to change and I now help other young kids. I thought Unity were fantastic they will work with lots of young kids through sports coaching in their neighbourhood and I feel they will really make this project go somewhere because of their enthusiasm and passion.

Emily Mathias, Neighbourhood Renewal Manager at The Regenda Group and organiser of Youth Voice said, "Youth Voice 2008 once again demonstrated the tremendous potential of young people living in our local communities. It was truly inspiring to work with young people with amazing determination and passion aiming to reduce negative perceptions and stereotypes and make a positive difference in their neighbourhoods."

The Youth Voice Conference was hosted by The Regenda Group with additional support and funding from Riverside, Arena, Plus Dane Housing, Liverpool Housing Trust, Knowsley Housing Trust, Cosmopolitan, Fusion 21 and NewHeartlands.