Nominations open for Celebrating Young People Awards!

Nominations are now open for the Celebrating Young People Awards, powered by Million Minutes and in partnership with St Mary's University, Twickenham.

The annual awards ceremony honours the achievements of young people across the country who work to make our communities a better place. There are a total of eight award categories, which take their names from Catholic Social Teaching and recognising the enormous, often unseen, social action of young people.

If you know an unsung hero or heroine or even a group that have worked together to help their community then you can nominate them for an award on the Million Minutes website.

The award nominees will be invited to attend a special ceremony at the Barbican Centre in Central London, which will feature special guests Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Baroness Sheila Hollins, Baroness Susan Williams and St Mary's Pro Vice-Chancellor Rt Hon Ruth Kelly.

CEO and Co-Founder of Million Minutes Danny Curtin said, "Young people are amazing. They are doing incredible things: supporting their friends, transforming their local community, making a positive difference. We started Million Minutes to celebrate how amazing young people are and to offer them support. Young people get an increasing amount of stick in the wider media, but their energy and vibrancy is inspirational. The Awards recognise the enormous, often unseen work young people do to make our communities and our world a better place, and hope to inspire others to do the same."

Baroness Williams of Trafford is a Minister in the Department for Communities and Local Government who has responsibility for faith and integration. Baroness Williams will present the Dorothy Day Award for Community and Participation and said, "The Celebrating Young People Awards is an excellent example of both what can be achieved when young people are empowered, and the way in which faith can be the basis for powerful social change. I hope the example these young people have set will inspire others to work together to create better, stronger communities."

The deadline for nominations is 20th May.

All the details of the Awards can be found here: www.millionminutes.org/awards along with award criteria and the online nomination form.