Yorkshire and East Midlands Celebration of Achievements

One of the best parts of the year at Team Fostering is the night we get to champion our young people.

On Friday we held the Yorkshire and East Midlands Celebration of Achievements where carers, children and staff had a jolly good evening hearing how our young people have been absolutely smashing life over the past 12 months. 

During the night we enjoyed circus skills, boxing tips and sports activities at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield plus Board Member Chris gave us a fabulous speech about his journey to the Olympics and a glimpse of his gold medal. 

But of course the main reason we were there was to hand out the awards. Here are some of the stories of our finalists and winners.

Kindness Award

Finalist 1

Someone who is always thinking about others.  He is kind-hearted, compassionate and generous. He tries to do his absolute best all of the time and he is always inclusive and kind to everyone. He is very popular with his classmates at school because the other children know that he is honest, trustworthy and see’s the best in people.

Finalist 2

He is always kind to others especially to younger children. His carer describes him as a proper gentleman. When they were on holiday this year he picked up the heavy cases and bags without even being asked.  He is also very willing to help in the garden.

Winner

Someone who has shown support and understanding to others.  He had got used to being the youngest child in his house, but has recently taken on an ‘older brother’ role for a younger child. 

He has shown true maturity through his acts of kindness and is helping and encouraging him to settle in.  His carers describe him as kind, funny, and amazing.

Artistic Achievement Award

Finalist 1

She is doing exceptionally well in her dance lessons. She has recently been awarded a distinction for her latest dance exam in street dance. She walks into any exam with confidence and just goes for it.

Finalist 2

She recently passed her street dance exam and was highly commended.  She has taking on board her dance tuition really well and is becoming a very eloquent dancer.

Winner

She played the lead role in a production of Peter Pan.  She played Peter Pan in 4 shows over 3 days. This has sparked an interest in acting as a possible career.

Educational Achievement Award

Finalist 1

He has settled well at his new school.  He waited a long time to get a new school which is right for him and now he is thriving and achieving very well – his reading has come on amazingly in a year. He is making friends and learning practical skills; he is very happy and we are all very proud of him.

Finalist 2

He has been working really hard in school.  He is showing signs of being able to empathise with others and also showing levels of kindness. He is achieving beyond previous expectations which is fantastic. 

Winner

Someone who despite missing almost 3 years of school, recently passed 4 GCSEs and even passed one with a distinction! He has shown such a positive attitude by turning around his education in year 11. We are all very proud of him for his hard work and commitment and we can’t wait to see what he achieves in college with his positive outlook.

Sporting Achievement Award

Finalist 1

He was given the opportunity to join a boxing club through school. This was totally out of his comfort zone, however he plucked up the courage and joined. Since joining he has matured and grown in so many ways. He has far more self-control and is able to present himself with confidence.

Finalist 2

He never learnt to swim when he was young and was afraid of water, especially if it was deep. He has been having swimming lessons and doing really well, even though he doesn’t like it very much, he wants to be able to swim. He is working hard to conquer his fears and we are incredibly proud of him. 

Winner

A young person who has recently discovered his love for archery.  He spent many hours practicing in the garden before booking onto a beginners course at his local archery club. This was 10 hours of lessons followed by a competition between the group, where he got a prize for coming third.  He’s now keen to take this further by joining the archery club and maybe progressing to proper tournaments.

Courage and Determination Award

Finalist 1

He has had a tricky start to his year, moving homes and schools three times. He has shown true strength and courage.  His carers say he is the definition of resilience and has a wide smile that melts everyone’s heart!

Finalist 2

He found life challenging when he was first came to live with his carers. Meeting new people, attending medical appointments, and trying new things were hard. His confidence has grown so much this last year. He has amazed us and we are all so proud of him.  He even overcame his fear of heights by jumping from a high level into the water at the Aqua Park.

Winner

He has shown bravery and resilience through difficult times. He worked hard at school for SATS and moving to High School this September. It’s lovely to see a young person getting their smile back and he is learning to enjoy himself once again.

Dedication and Commitment Award

Finalist 1

She has been a volunteering at St Lukes for the last 2 years.  She has shown unwavering commitment and reliability.  She has become a valued member of the team and joins in the social activities the shop holds on a regular basis. She takes her role very seriously and is a popular member of the team. 

Finalist 2

She was invited to support her dance teacher in lessons with the younger pupils. She received gifts from both her dance teacher and some of the young pupils as thank you presents for her support and kindness. 

Winner

He has shown dedication and commitment to becoming a peer mentor in his school. This involved attending a residential and a 2-day training programme, where he developed his peer mentoring support skills.  He was especially commended for how much he got involved, how much energy he bought to the group and for the support he offered those around him through his positivity and enthusiastic engagement. He has since been doing an excellent job as a mentor, and loves it. 

Preparation for Independence Award

Finalist 1

She has worked extremely hard both at college and her apprenticeship. She has been offered permanent employment at the end of her apprenticeship.

Finalist 2

He has been building his skillset by volunteering at Barnardo’s every week.  He has also joined the Explorers and is currently completing his Bronze DofE. His scout leaders and staff and volunteers at Barnardo’s have all complimented him on his positive attitude and hardworking nature. We are very proud of him and can see how much his self-confidence and levels of independence have grown since joining both organisations. 

Winner

He has continued to attend college, and has attended life skills and the volunteers programme which has enabled him to build confidence and gain employment at the Racecourse.  He really enjoys his new job and this has helped him to build his independence.  He is a popular member of the life skills group and uses his excellent communication skills to help and support other young people.