Good Citizen Award

The North Yorkshire Youth Commission Good Citizen Award aims to celebrate young people in North Yorkshire who make a positive impact on their community.

It is awarded by the North Yorkshire Youth Commission on behalf of the York and North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime.

Last year, Youth Commission members set about conducting peer research with other young people in North Yorkshire. We wanted to design an award that celebrated and recognised all the amazing work young people do for their communities.

We used the ideas and preferences of those we engaged with to design the Good Citizen Award. The conversations we had with peers before creating the award means it reflects what young people really want. 

Who is the Good Citizen Award for?

Any young person, aged between 10-25, living or studying in North Yorkshire can get involved.

Why get involved?

 What young people have to say about the award

“It would look really good on your CV, plus it can be used to back you up in terms of showing how committed and passionate you are about the community!”

“Picking something to make a difference on that you care about is important. If you don’t like something, change it for the better.”

“I think that an award like this can help turn young people away from trouble and help make a positive.”

What could I do?

We want you to be free to work on any topic or cause that you feel passionate about. This means that as long as it clearly benefits the community and requires the use of at least two of the key qualities of good citizenship, you can complete any positive action you like!

But if you feel like you need some help to decide, here are our suggestions to give you some inspiration: 

• Environmental Action– Do something positive to help protect North Yorkshire’s unique environment. You could encourage recycling, educate others on how to save energy, or even start a nature garden.

• Community pride- Help make your local area a place to be proud of. Maybe you want to create an anti-littering ad campaign or volunteer for a local charity that helps the community.

• Speaking-up- Use your voice to speak up on the issues most important to you and fight injustice. You could help raise awareness on how young people can report crimes, or perhaps make a video about the importance of diversity and tolerance. 

• Helping hand– Help out others in your local community. You could take on a leadership role at your local sports club or maybe you already care for a family member or friend regularly. 

• Something else- Maybe you already have a cause that you’re passionate about and want to work towards improving. If you have your own idea on how to be a good citizen, we want to hear it!

“Being a good citizen is putting yourself in another person’s shoes.”

“Someone who is always willing to help others.”

“Being active in the community, respectful to everyone, tolerant and open.”

“Someone who thinks less of themselves and more of others. They contribute to their community.”

I’m in. What next?

You will need an award mentor (this can be a teacher, youth worker, mentor, or anyone else in a similar role). Your mentor’s job will be to oversee the project and support you in gaining your Good Citizen Award.

You and your mentor can download everything you need, including guidance notes, a suggestions page, and the design and reflect worksheets right here:

• New Updated Documents Will Be Uploaded In Due Course

Need more info?

Any questions or how to get started contact Emily Blavins: [email protected]