The 2004 Awards ceremony was presented by Sir Trevor McDonald OBE in the presence of The Rt. Hon David Blunkett MP and Frances Lawrence at the London College of Fashion.
Frances Lawrence said:
“To mean anything, ‘citizenship’ has to be real to the everyday lives of young people. In no small part, young people need to ‘do it for themselves’. The Philip Lawrence Awards is a recognition and celebration of the outstanding achievements and citizenship of young people. As Philip knew well, all young people are capable of great acts of thoughtfulness, generosity and vision. Our awards demonstrate the trust of this. The young people deserve our thanks and support. This year’s winners are a tremendous example to us all and inspiration to other young people. ”
The Awards recognise contributions to the community which bring out the best in young people aged 11-20, empower them to take the initiative and make a real difference to their lives and the lives of others – building confidence, promoting safety and reducing crime. The awards have three key themes: combating lawlessness and violence; promoting community safety; and promoting racial harmony.
The 2004 Award winners are:
AWAAZ Youth Project
Hounslow, Middlesex
The AWAAZ Youth Project in Hounslow uses drama to address very serious issues. Involvement also has enabled the young people to develop their self-esteem and confidence, and to control their emotions while also understand serious issues that affect the local community.
EKTA
Kettering, Northamptonshire
The word ‘Ekta’ means unity in Hindi which is the theme that lies at the heart of this group, which raises awareness of issues surrounding race through celebrating cultural diversity.
Jackass Youth Theatre and the Ramayana Project
Bishop Auckland, Co. Durham
The Jackass Youth Theatre, set up by Jack Drum Arts in rural County Durham, uses creative arts as the basis for empowering young people and has grown from their need for positive, fun and engaging activities.
Harold Hill Youth Action Group
Harold Hill, Essex
The Harold Hill Youth Action Group in Essex has helped give young people a voice within their community as well as proactively build community cohesion. The young people involved are engaging with issues that affect the local community and are helping support their own personal self development.
SAFE Project
Sparkhill, Birmingham
Over 30 young people in Sparkhill are actively and proudly contributing to SAFE, a project enabling them to express opinions and critique services and events that impact on their lives and neighbourhoods. These young people are involved with the production of a magazine, which focuses on the diverse range of issues that affect them.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Youth Volunteers
Edinburgh, Scotland
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Youth Volunteers acts as a positive resource and support base for the thousands of young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people within Scotland.
Stroud Rural Peer Education Project
Wotton under Edge, Gloucestershire
The Stroud Rural Peer Education Project was initiated by young people to act as a self-support group in which they could discuss the issues affecting them including substance abuse.
Stonebridge Road Estate Youth Group
Seven Sisters, London
The Stonebridge Road Estate Youth Group aims to give a real voice to young people, raise awareness of the issues that affect them and improve their facilities while making the local community a safer place to live and work.
