Fantastic news on Friday. I’m absolutely thrilled that Nikki Sharpe, the founder of Sheffield-based social enterprise Youth Can Achieve, has been given the ‘Leadership in the Community’ Award at the national ‘Network of Aspiring Women’ Awards. These awards were created by former Apprentice contestant Jo Cameron to celebrate the achievements of women throughout the UK.
Nikki is also celebrating being nominated for a further national award – and this all hot on the heels of her ‘Extraordinary Woman of the Year 2010’ success. Nikki has been invited to attend the prestigious Women of the Year Lunch in London, taking place for its 55th year on 17th October in London – and nominated as for TV presenter Lorraine Kelly’s “Inspirational Woman of the Year” award.
I’m lucky enough to work with Nikki (I’m providing Youth Can Achieve with marketing and sponsorship support, in a package funded by The Key Fund). Her own personal story (see this profile) is astonishing – and the work she’s doing at Youth Can Achieve (YCA) is really making a difference to young people and children.
YCA’s Children In Need Project is successfully giving young people from Sheffield, who have experienced serious disadvantages, qualifications and hands on experience of producing a documentary. YCA’s 3rd annual conference, incorporating a youth fashion event organised by young people, takes place on 20th October 2011 . And I’ve been able to help YCA to secure support from a new corporate sponsor for 2011, Sheffield’s superb boutique hotel, the Leopold Hotel.
YCA makes a huge difference to the lives of young people from deprived communities and shows them what they can achieve in life. It’s great to see that the quality of the work that Youth Can Achieve does, and the positive effects of YCA’s programmes, is gaining recognition via this well deserved Award for Nikki.
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