Youth Ambassador Project is launched in Blackburn
Young people from across Blackburn with Darwen came together at Blackburn Youth Zone to be a part of the first Youth Ambassador Project.
30 young people from across Blackburn with Darwen have signed up to the project, a 10 week programme with the aim of empowering them to make a difference through social integration and social action projects.
The project, which offers young people aged 12-16 a once in a lifetime opportunity, has been funded through Blackburn with Darwen’s Our Community, Our Future social integration funding aims to provide young people with the opportunity to become more involved in their community through social integration, social action and team building. The 10 week programme, which includes a two night team building residential, is being delivered by a broad range of partners from across the borough bringing together a range of skills, knowledge and expertise. The partners are; Blackburn Youth Zone, Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, BwD Young People’s Services, Healthy Living, IMO, One Voice Blackburn and Child Action North West.
Hannah Allen, Blackburn Youth Zone CEO, said:
“Here at Blackburn Youth Zone integration is one of our core values and something we embed in everything we do. We provide a safe space where young people can come together to take part in focused activities such as the Youth Ambassadors Project. We are really pleased that this project has allowed us to work with a whole range of partners from across BwD who all have the same vision of developing our leaders of tomorrow. We are excited to see the project grow and to see the difference these young people make to their communities.”
Emily Jones, Project Support Officer in the social integration programme team at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, attended the first Youth Ambassador session. She said:
“It was fantastic to see such a diverse group of young people coming together to be a part of the first Youth Ambassador programme. It was encouraging to see such a great turn out for the first session and all the young people involved had lots of energy and enthusiasm. Going forward, it will be great to see the group working together to create social integration projects that will have really positive effects in their communities.”
The Youth Ambassador project is one of many projects being delivered on behalf of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and funded through their social integration programme. Our Community, Our Future is a three year programme which brings together a wide range of local partners working together to strengthen relationships between people from different backgrounds, to help the borough become a place where diversity is valued, and where people’s faith and cultures are understood and respected.
The Youth Ambassador project will run six times throughout the year with the next group starting in July to be held at Blackburn Rovers Community Trust on Saturday mornings. For more information on the Youth Ambassador Project email enquiries@blackburnyz.org or 01254 292000.
