Nominations now open for The Northern Cultural Education Awards 2024

NOMINATIONS for the Northern Cultural Education Awards 2024 are now open, this time to even more Schools, cultural practitioners and cultural education organisations, as the awards expand this year to include:- the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber.

Hosted by Curious Minds, a leading cultural education charity in the UK, the awards celebrate the vibrant, diverse and thriving ecology of cultural education in Northern England. By doing so, this event shines a light on those championing best practice, innovation and activism in the sector, all for the benefit of children and young people.

Applicants can include:- teachers, artists and creative practitioners, youth and social workers, health and wellbeing specialists and community volunteers, all of whom are invited to self nominate or nominate someone else they admire across the seven categories. These include:-

•  The Innovation and Leadership in Education Award: Celebrating a trailblazing School or education setting which has embedded the arts, creativity and culture to deliver transformational outcomes for pupils, staff and/or community.
  

•  The Inspirational Local Partnership Award: Highlighting a cross sector partnership that has worked collectively to improve access to arts, culture and creativity for the children and young people in their local area.
  

•  The One to Watch Award: Celebrating the next generation of leaders in cultural education.
  

•  The Hearts and Minds Award: Spotlighting a project that has used targeted creative or cultural activity to positively impact children and young people's health and wellbeing.
  

•  The Young Arts Activism Award: Rewarding a group of young people or an individual who have led creative action to drive a difference in the world around them.
  

•  The Grassroots Award(s): Recognising the:- 'Fearless Freelancers' and 'Small but Mighty' organisations on which our sector relies.

Changemaker Award - Championing an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of cultural education. This winner of this award will be hand selected by Curious Minds CEO, Derri Burdon.

Kelly Allen, Executive Director of Social Justice at Curious Minds, said:- "We are delighted to host The Northern Cultural Education Awards for the third time and are even more excited to open nominations to the wonderful communities in the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber. There is a hugely talented and dedicated creative workforce across the North, who work tirelessly to make sure that children and young people living here get access to a rich cultural education. This work can often be overlooked, so we created these awards to recognise and celebrate it. We see the impact this has on the lives of children and young people, and the dedication it takes to make it happen; be that from fearless freelancers creatively engaging young minds, or cross-sector partnerships that break new ground in the sector. We look forward to reviewing each of the submissions and celebrating the skilled professionals who so brilliantly serve our children and young people."

Nominations are open until midnight on:- Sunday, 3 March 2024. The winners will then be announced during an awards ceremony and networking event on:- Friday, 24 May 2024. This event will bring together more than 200 teachers, cultural organisations, artists and other members of the youth workforce and will be hosted by BBC Radio Merseyside Presenter, Ngunan Adamu.

More information, including nomination forms, for the Northern Cultural Education Awards 2024 can be found at:- CuriousMinds.Org.UK.

More information and tickets for the awards ceremony can be found at:- Eventbrite.Co.UK.

The Sovini Group creates opportunities and changes lives this National Apprenticeship Week 

'SKILLS for Life' was the theme for the national celebration, and to mark the week, The Sovini Group celebrated its present cohort of 26 apprentices. The Group's 6th annual Apprenticeship Awards recognised and rewarded talent and commitment. The highly anticipated event saw 11 apprentices scoop prestigious awards thanks to their dedication to their chosen vocations.

Congratulations to this year's winners:-

• Rising Star Award; Josh Green, Apprentice Joiner.
  

• Most Improved Apprentice Award; Joe Townsend, Apprentice Roofer.
  

• Engagement Award; Lauren Kelly, Housing Apprentice.
  

• Best Newcomer Award; Callum Irvine, Apprentice Multi Skilled Operative.
  

• Mentor of the Year Award; Kevin Jones, Multi Skilled Operative for Sovini Property Services.
  

• Top E-Learner Award; Liam Elliott, Apprentice Electrician.
  

• Trainer's Choice Award; Mallen Rawsthorne, Apprentice Plumber.
  

• Traditional Apprentice of the Year Award; Jordan Obeng, Apprentice Multi Skilled Operative.
  

• Apprentice of the Year Award (Professional Qualification); James Speare, Contracts Manager for Sovini Construction.
  

• Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award; Matilda Beckett, Apprentice Multi Skilled Operative.
  

• Special Recognition Award; Ryan Traynor, Supported Intern and Peter Brunt, Assistant Site Manager for Sovini Construction.
  

• Values Champion Award; Summer Fitzmaurice, Apprentice Plumber and Domestic Heating Technician.

Furthermore, the Group aimed to attract budding talent as it hosted its Apprenticeship Showcase event, which provided young people from the Liverpool City Region with an exclusive opportunity to explore a career at the Group.

The event, which attracted over 130 young people, was hosted in collaboration with Elevate EBP.

"We are thrilled to have collaborated with The Sovini Group during National Apprenticeship Week to host the Apprenticeship Showcase! Hosting the 1st in person showcase event in several years was a significant milestone. It provided a valuable platform for The Sovini Group apprentices and employees to connect with local young people. Elevate EBP is incredibly fortunate to have The Sovini Group as a dedicated corporate partner, committed to making a positive impact in our local community. Their unwavering support, not just during National Apprenticeship Week, but throughout the year demonstrates their commitment to Transforming Lives and Creating Growth across the Liverpool City Region." - Gill Ditchburn, CEO, Elevate EBP

The Group proudly displayed its career pathways into sectors and industries, including:- electrical, construction, housing and HR, with young people receiving guidance from industry experts.

Careers advice and guidance was also provided thanks to the The Learning Foundry and legal firm Brabners.

"This year, the Group recognised the invaluable impact apprentices make at the Group and wider, as it continues to create opportunities and change lives. Through collaboration with partners the Group remains committed to creating meaningful employment opportunities that allow colleagues to discover their purpose." - Dr Roy Williams, CEO, The Sovini Group

For further information on the apprenticeships available at The Sovini Group, click here.