STAY CONNECTED: Have the stories that matter most delivered every night to your email inbox. Subscribe to our daily local news wrap.
Photo: City of Grande Prairie
By Shane Clausing
youth engagement awards

Applications open for 2021 Grande Prairie Youth Engagement Awards

Apr 4, 2021 | 7:00 AM

Applications are now open for the 2021 Youth Engagement Awards.

The Youth Engagement Awards are put on by the Grande Prairie Youth Advisory Council and are meant to recognize businesses, schools and community agencies that illustrate the valuable role community members play in youth development in Grande Prairie.

The four awards that are up for grabs include:

  • Youth Friendly Business of Choice (recognizes a business, service or corporation that values youth as a client or patron)
  • Community Engagement Award (recognizes schools or community youth agencies that promote and take strides to develop a positive youth culture and embraces community connectedness)
  • Employer of Choice (recognizes businesses or organizations that make an effort to employ youth or young adults as part of their staffing model)
  • Youth Mentor of Choice (recognizes a hard-working, dedicated individual who promotes and creates a welcoming and inclusive community for youth)

Keiran Nicholson is a member of the Youth Advisory Council Chair and says this is the first year they have ever taken nominations for the awards.

“In year’s past we would try to look around and figure out what businesses would comply (with the description of the awards), but sadly, it was more limited to just our view and not the community enough, which was definitely a problem.”

Because of the change in how they hand out the awards, Nicholson says this will give other community members a better chance to showcase what they do to help create a positive impact on youth in the community.

When applying, an applicant must describe why they are deserving of the nomination, how they have broken down barriers or helped make advances in the community and talk about if their contribution has helped inspire other in the community to take action.

Once the deadline passes on April 19, the Youth Council will then meet and discuss who is deserving of the four awards.

The awards will then be presented in the first week of May as its meant to celebrate National Youth Week.

“Depending on the provincial regulations, we’ll be making the presentation in-person or virtually,” said Nicholson. “The reason why we do it when National Youth Week is because its a celebration of youth and their active participation in our community and we felt its important to do that.”

You can fill out an application by heading to the Youth Advisory Council’s website. The Youth Advisory Council is made up of youth between the ages of 14 & 24.

by Shane Clausing