Youth services team wins national award

SHETLAND Islands Council’s youth services team is celebrating after winning a national award.

The staff won the team of the year prize at the 2019 Youth Work Awards in Glasgow last week.

It comes after the youth services team hosted over 70 events in the summer to mark Scotland’s Year of Young People.

The staff members beat off competition from Royston Youth Action from Glasgow and the Hazlehead Academy Youth Work Team from Aberdeen.

Shetland Islands Council’s education and families committee chairman George Smith said: “Shetland has a rich history of youth work and I’m delighted that our youth services team has won the ‘Team of the Year’ category this year.

“Our youth work staff continue to work with young people to help turn their ideas into reality and to involve them in partnerships and events.

“In rural areas, where young people could easily be isolated, our team goes the extra mile to support them and I’m pleased that so many young people are so involved across the community and across different generations.

“Youth work continues to face some real challenges, but our team strives to work with local and national partners to establish creative solutions. There are always exciting youth work projects for young people in Shetland to get involved with.”