Young People to be Celebrated at Durham Area Youth Awards & Celebration Evening

Young people from across County Durham will be recognised for their achievements, resilience, and positive contributions to their communities at the Durham Area Youth Awards & Celebration Evening on Monday 6 July at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Durham.

The special celebration will bring together more than 100 young people, families, volunteers, supporters, partners, funders, sponsors, and community leaders to celebrate the remarkable achievements of local young people while raising vital funds to support youth services across County Durham.

Hosted by young person Jack McQuillan, the evening will feature live performances from talented young performers Erin Goodwill and Isla Clark, alongside a series of awards recognising volunteering, creativity, teamwork, resilience, kindness, and outstanding achievement.

The event comes at a time when demand for youth services continues to grow. Since 2023, Durham Area Youth has increased its reach from 537 to 826 young people, representing a 54% increase in participation. During the last year alone, the charity delivered 108 youth work sessions and provided 4,895 hours of direct support and engagement.

Established in 2018, Durham Area Youth exists to ensure young people living in rural communities have access to high-quality youth work, trusted adults, and opportunities to thrive. The charity delivers open-access youth provision across Bournmoor, Pittington, Sherburn Hill, Sherburn Village, West Rainton and Belmont, providing safe spaces where young people can build confidence, develop skills, form positive relationships, and feel a sense of belonging.

Young people regularly tell the charity about the challenges they face, including loneliness, pressures at school, mental health concerns and difficulties navigating friendships and the transition into adolescence. Many also report feeling unheard or overlooked.

In response, Durham Area Youth places youth voice at the heart of everything it does. Young people help shape activities, influence decision making, volunteer within their communities and play an active role in developing projects, fundraising activities, and future services.

The evening will also pay tribute to two individuals whose legacy continues to inspire young people today.

The Fiona Mitchelson Young Volunteer Award honours a much loved volunteer whose commitment to supporting young people and strengthening her community left a lasting impact on Durham Area Youth.

The Molly Patterson Helping Others Award commemorates a young leader from Sherburn Hill whose determination and vision helped establish youth provision within her community and whose legacy continues to create opportunities for local young people.

Emily Burns, Chief Executive of Durham Area Youth, said:

“Tonight’s celebration is first and foremost about recognising the incredible achievements of the young people we work with across County Durham. Every day they inspire us with their creativity, determination, resilience, and commitment to making a positive difference in their communities.

Over the past year we have seen more young people than ever before engaging with our services. That growth reflects both the increasing need for safe, supportive spaces for young people and the value of high-quality youth work in helping them build confidence, develop skills, and feel a sense of belonging.

We are incredibly proud of all the young people being recognised this evening and grateful to the families, volunteers, partners, funders and sponsors whose support makes this work possible. Most importantly, we thank the young people themselves, whose voices, ideas, and ambition continue to shape everything we do.”

The awards form part of Durham Area Youth’s wider commitment to supporting young people through open-access youth work, volunteering opportunities, community projects, outdoor learning, residential experiences, and youth-led activities.

As communities continue to face challenges linked to poverty, isolation and increasing pressures on young people’s wellbeing, Durham Area Youth believes access to safe spaces, trusted relationships and positive opportunities has never been more important.