On Wednesday 26 March, around 250 people gathered at the Phoenix Cinema at the Picky to celebrate the achievements of our young people at the annual Orkney Youth Awards. A total of 122 certificates were awarded to 91 individuals over the course of the evening, interspersed with musical performances and inspirational talks. One of our young volunteers, Anushka Thombre, reflects on the evening.
Trust me, moving from sunny Singapore to windy Orkney is an experience in itself. I’ve been living in Orkney for a bit over 2 years now and I can tell you, it's completely different to the fast paced vibrant city I was used to. People used to tell me it would be really isolating with its limited shopping and restaurants and the fact it was completely removed from mainland Scotland. But from the moment I moved here, I’ve proved them wrong. I’ve met and bonded with so many different groups of people here, more than I have anywhere else I’ve lived. I’ve joined dance and rock climbing. I’ve got a job. I’m doing a college course on horse care! I’ve participated in local shows. I volunteer, and have gotten so many more opportunities that I owe to Orkney. I’ve never been happier, or busier so when I got to the Orkney Youth Awards ceremony on Wednesday night, I was ecstatic to see all the friendly faces who were getting awards for all their accomplishments. From the start to the very end, the energy levels were high which was not only possible due to the supportive audience, but also the fantastic 3 youth hosts who made sure to entertain and keep spirits up throughout the ceremony.
Aside from the amazing song selection playing from the speakers, we were also gifted with live music from incredibly talented musicians, of which most were young people. It meant a lot to see the spotlight focused on young people. It made the event feel as though it was not just about Youth but also kind of managed by them which, honestly, feels empowering because people of our age group were being given this great opportunity.
Oh and don’t get me started on supper. The tables were filled with yummy treats, savoury and sweet alike - it most definitely didn’t help that I have a bit of a sweet tooth! It also gave everyone a chance to hype up and congratulate each other before Bingo. Unfortunately, my mum and I didn’t win the giant lego set, close though, but I quite enjoyed the friendly (and competitive) game, especially the puns that came along with each number being called out.
And what's an award ceremony without its inspirational speeches? We were lucky to be able to hear from both Calum Elder about his experiences in life and Elsa Cox from Robert Gordon University with her closing remarks. Both of whom did not disappoint and captured the audience with their engaging speeches.
I received my 50 hours of volunteering award that night too. I have been volunteering with the Orkney Library and Archive through VAO for quite some time now and I love it! All the staff are so nice and I always feel a sense of peace while working there. I have no doubt that everyone else doing their own placements feels the exact same way.
If someone asked me what my favourite part of the night was, I’d most definitely say that it would have to be when the Summit Awards were being given out. Their stories and their contributions to society were truly motivational and I was extremely moved by how personal and inspiring each story was.
The Orkney Youth Awards gave us all an opportunity to be recognised for all the hard work we have been putting in and to be surrounded by other people our age. All with different stories, that we can draw inspiration from and be proud of. Thank you for allowing me to be part of this and I can’t wait to see what the year holds for all of us!
The Orkney Youth Awards organisers would like to thank OIC’s Community Learning Development and Employability, Robert Gordon University, the Orcadian, the Pickaquoy Centre and VAO for sponsorship of the event, as well as Grooves Toys for providing the half-time bingo prize.
