saturday november 21st 2009
BLACK YOUTH ACHIEVEMENTS –
The Awards Ceremony
Bernie Grant Arts Centre, Tottenham Green, London N15 4RX
Why not try Caribeean Food Delights Authentic Jamaican style Patties, Spicy Beef, Mild Beef, Vegetable, Curry Chicken and Jerk Chicken.
Products now available in selected stores in the frozen section at
Distributed throughout the U.K by
www.caribbeansavouriesltd.com
Welcome to the 1st annual ‘Black Youth Achievements – The Awards Ceremony’! I am so pleased that you are here to celebrate the talents, positive actions and achievements of our young people within the UK. Not only are we here to congratulate our finalists, and to be inspired by their stories and accomplishments, but to also reflect on ourselves and what WE have achieved personally. How can we be pushing ourselves more – and indeed one another - to reach our full potential? We are all blessed with a talent, let’s support each other in unlocking and utilising it! The awards ceremony is the first project for the organisation ‘Black Youth Achievements’. We have an exciting ten year plan in which we will be working with young people in a variety of ways to help them gain greater knowledge and take advantage of opportunities which will broaden their horizons within the education, business and social arenas, ensuring that our future leaders are equipped with the vital tools and resources needed to make an impact and survive in today’s world.
Keep on achieving, Kay
Oldroyd Founder / Operations Director
ob
al
e pr 09 tre UK 20 n E eek W
Gl
So, I do hope that you all enjoy the evening that we have put together for you, and thank you for supporting us and our finalists at the UK’s first annual ‘Black Youth Achievements – The Awards Ceremony’!
ip
rsh
u ne
Black Youth Achievements are pleased to be part of 2009 Global Entrepreneurship Week.
Awards and Presentations
Opening Performance Brixton
Introduction Host:
Drumline
Mr Cee
First Performance
First Award Arts Category presented by (Afridiziak Theatre News)
Sophia Jackson
Second Performance Second Award Business & Enterprise Category presented by (BEN TV’s ‘The Rhoda Wilson Show’)
The Award Categories The Arts Business & Enterprise Community Choices (recognising someone who has made a conscious decision to make positive changes to their life) Education Sports
Rhoda Wilson
Third Performance Third Award Community
Category presented by David Lammy MP
Interval .................................................................................... Fourth Performance
Fourth Award Choices Category presented by Rosemary Laryea, (Colourful Radio)
Fifth Performance
Fifth Award
Education Category presented by Abu Bundu-Kamara,
(Pearson Plc.)
Sixth Performance
Sixth Award
Sports Category presented by Rodney Hinds,
(Sports Editor, The Voice, and author of ‘Black Lions’)
Close ....................................................................................
Achievement What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of giving up on their dream or goal? Keep your eyes on the prize! Always think of what the end product is going to be like. Do not compare yourself to other people. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t find out how other people achieved success, just don’t expect your route to be the same as theirs. Finally, there are many ways to approach something. If you aren’t getting results one way try another way but don’t give up! Believe in yourself even when no one else does. Alex Tomlinson – nominee, Arts Award Firstly I would share my personal motto with anyone thinking about giving up and remind them “success only comes before work in a dictionary”. I always try to encourage people not to worry about the things that have already happened or we can’t change when things break we automatically try to fix them, which is also what we need do in life when things go wrong it’s easy to give up but then what do you achieve other than failure. Worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrow - it empties today of strength staying positive will lead to positive actions and a positive reward. Davia Davis – nominee, Business & Enterprise Award We would tell them to stop, look and think before they give up, because giving up on their dreams is giving up on themselves. We would seriously ask them why they want to give up? More than likely the answer is that it’s too hard, or they’re not good enough or they don’t know how to get to their dream. These are constant struggles people face and it is completely normal to question yourself. However, if the dream is worth it, then so are the struggles. Every problem has a solution, it’s just a matter of finding it. The ABC Group – nominees, Community Award What would it mean to you, to win an award at this year’s ceremony? It would mean everything to me to attend at this year’s ceremony. It would mean that people recognise I’ve made a change. It would also give me more confidence to help others who are not making positive decisions in their life. It would make me feel like I was getting closer to becoming someone who can
inspire other people, it would make me feel like I was getting closer to the person I want to be and maybe one day I will be presenting the BYA awards myself! Ebony Babb – nominee, Choices Award It would mean a lot to me as I feel that I have worked very hard to achieve and to reach my goal and my family will be proud of me. It would inspire me to go on to achieve more goals in life. Rhianna Ottley – nominee, Sports Award If I were to win an award at this grand ceremony, it would really mean a lot to me as it would simply say to me, that the sacrifices I made were not in vain, the lack of sleep, the hard work and the weight loss. It would be the catalyst to keep me going when times got hard, just look at my award and smile. It would also be an award that I would keep to show to my nephew when he is older, so that he can be proud of his aunty, but also to encourage him to aspire for greatness. Sotonye Diri – nominee, Business & Enterprise Award I graduated from the University Of Nottingham Medical School in July 2009, and am now working as a Junior Doctor in Lincolnshire. My Grandfather dreamed of becoming a Doctor. I hope I have made him proud. If winning this award will change one person’s mind out there, and make them consider going to University, or even applying for Medicine, then I will be honoured. Davina Kenyon-Blair – nominee, Education Award What does the word ‘achievement’ mean to you? Achievement to us is something that we have been striving towards for the past 10 years. It’s a goal, a vision, a belief and most importantly a lifestyle. Achievement is what we experience on a daily basis when we have fulfilled our goals and targets. The realisation of a journey and the overcoming of its many obstacles allow an individual to understand that the pathway to achievement is extremely challenging. However if dedication, hard work, hope, faith, humility, brilliance and passion are the fundamental qualities in which a person can attain, then achievement becomes a reality that can be passed down to many generations. Umbrella Studios – nominees, Arts Award
– in their own words To me, achievement means a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of success. It is being able to battle against all the odds and come out victorious. Through this encounter I can use it as a learning curve experience, which will aid me through other trials and tribulations life may throw at me in the future. Finally I see achievement as the ability to prove your critics wrong, by surpassing their expectations. Rico Coombs – nominee Education Award What struggles or challenges have you faced on your path to achievement? Struggle for me equals progress, and every day presents new challenges. From the time I had no money to get to work and no means of getting back. To the days I was told to forget about my dreams and just get a regular job. The path to achievement has been very challenging but has given me experience and skills that can only be earned, not bought. Byron Douglas-Letts – nominee, Business & Enterprise Award As a very keen sportsperson (athlete) as well as an enthusiastic academic, one of the challenges that I have faced on my journey to achievement would have to be attempting to balance two activities whilst still maintaining a high level of commitment towards both. As both training/competing and A-level studies (English literature, sociology and business studies) each require almost 110% effort, this has certainly been a great challenge for me due to my determination to be successful at both for as long as possible. Nathan Fox – nominee, Sports Award The struggle and challenges I faced on my way to achievement were my peers and my own personal fear, nothing else. I grew up on an estate were everyone had nothing, my mother was working two jobs to maintain and even that was hardly doing anything. So my peers and I would influences ourselves to go and do things just to survive (that’s how we saw it), I was so into that life that I was afraid of becoming successful because I knew if I did I would end up losing all my peers and the fun we were having at the time. From 2007 some friends passed away and most ended up in jail. To me it was time to turn my life around
because I had real family and friends who loved me and I didn’t want to leave that, I started focusing on my everyday positive work to keep me going and left the negative behind. Dennis Gyamfi – nominee, Community Award During the last year, my Mother has been very ill and with this I have been looking after my little brother. This included taking him into school and completely taking over parental roles, as well as going to college myself. For some people this is a normal routine and so I felt it was a big step up. Kyl Asgill – nominee, Community Award I am a mother of two young children aged 3 and 4; I feel I have many demands as a parent as well as dealing with a 9-5 job. I always wanted to be a police officer but that all changed once I had children. I was unsure of what I wanted to do with my life, all I knew was I was going to make something of myself and make my children and myself proud. Natasha Mills – nominee, Community Award How have you overcome your struggles or challenges? Perseverance. I just kept my head down and got on with my work. Through my music I was able to grab people’s attention. It was then easier for me to put across my message. Bol Joseph – nominee, Choices Award Your support system can make or break you. Who do you have as your foundation? I’ve been blessed to have an invaluable, positive circle of friends, who understand and relate to how I feel, and offer the best of themselves through a number of outlets. Positive self-confession is also a great help. Telling yourself, that ‘I can make it,’ and ‘I will complete this task,’ works is much more effective than procrastination or tearing your hair out from stress. Zoe Oputah – nominee, Community Award
We should never under-estimated the passion, determination, intelligence or commitment of young people. Our 2009 nominees are testament to that!! Kay Oldroyd – Operations Director / Founder BYA
NOMINEES
the
Arts
Business & Enterprise
Choices
Alex Tomlinson Kemi Glover Michelle Shawden Umbrella Studios
Byron Douglas-Letts Davia Davis Jerome Davis Sotonye Diri
Alesha Miller Bol Joseph Carl Smith Ebony Babb
OUR SPONSORS
The Voice – Britain’s award winning flagship African-Caribbean newspaper – has captured over the decades, the stars, events, and issues concerning the Commonwealth community for over 27 years, making it the most powerful black newspaper in the country to date. Launched in 1982, the newspaper set out to represent the unheard voice of multicultural Britain, emerging from the ashes of the 1980’s race riots. The Voice provides extensive ethnic news coverage missed in mainstream media, delivering insightful features that resonate directly with its readers. Generations of families have grown up with The Voice, and editorially the newspaper has evolved with its readership. Today’s editorial has an edgy, contemporary feel, publishing a weekly mix of mid-market, challenging and aspirational ethnic interest stories and campaigns. Visit the website www.voice-online.co.uk
Ampod Business Development & Training provide services to people who want to start a business, aspiring business owners and existing small businesses, helping them to achieve their ambitions as business owners and realise their dreams.
Afridiziak Theatre News is a website celebrating AfricanCaribbean theatre. Launched in September 2008, this is the UK’s one stop guide to all things theatre related from an AfricanCaribbean perspective.
Ampod empower and inspire leadership through their training programmes in entrepreneurial skills development and business planning. Their one-to-one consultancy services offer in-depth business analysis and solutions to business problems and issues.
From theatre listings, interviews with Whoopi Goldberg, Michelle Williams, Oliver Samuels and Bashy to all the latest reviews and news – Afridiziak Theatre fills the gap for anyone wanting to know all that’s happening in the rich, cultural tapestry of black theatre.
Believing that self employment and economic independence is a real option for ordinary people, Ampod work with all sections of society. Visit the website www.ampod.co.uk
Visit the website www.afridiziak.com
Community
EDUCATION
SPORTS
ABC Group Dennis Gyamfi Khadijah Peace Watkis-Lewis Kyl Asgill Michael Jones Natasha Mills Noel Phillips Trishna Burke Zoe Oputah
Ashanti Asare Ayesha Morrison Davina Kenyon-Blair Lorraine Ajayi Maliaka Adabra Rico Coombs Talisa Williamson
Cindy Nwosu Linton Campbell Nathan Fox Rhianna Ottley
events
‘Black Heritage Today’ magazine was officially launched four years ago, after making its debut in 2000. The stories and features in the magazine look at things that have happened and are happening around the world, from Europe to America, the Continent, South Africa and the Caribbean, and profiles people who are making a difference in the community today alongside ‘those who paved the way’. Black Heritage is much more than just a platform to list events happening throughout the months. Visit the website www.blackheritagetodayuk.co.uk
Pearson is the world’s leading education company, owning amongst others Penguin and Puffin publishing. They publish an unrivalled range of fiction and non-fiction, bestsellers and classics, children’s books and illustrated reference treasure chests in over 100 countries. Edexcel falls under the Pearson banner and is the UK’s largest awarding body, providing academic and vocational qualifications and testing to schools, colleges, employers and other places of learning in the UK and internationally. Pearson also own The Financial Times Group, one of the world’s leading business information companies, providing a broad range of business information and multimedia services to the international business community. Visit the website www.pearson.com
Vjem Events is a small talented team of project and event managers led by Veronica Jones. We specialise in planning and delivering outdoor and special events like festivals, carnivals, parties, exhibitions and fundays. Our clients range from Business Link, BDO Stoy Hayward LLP and the London Youth Support Trust to most of the London boroughs. Past projects include the One Love Hackney festivals, Lambeth’s international day and Southend-on-Sea’s cultural Olympiad handover celebrations. Vjem also provides a venue finding service which is absolutely free to use and very popular with our clients. 2007 saw the launch of our event training programme which runs throughout the year, covering topics such as event health and safety, event and stage management. Visit the website www.vjem.co.uk
Black Limelight Design & Illustration is proud to support the Black Youth Achievement Awards. Based in London and Nottingham, Black Limelight provides design and branding services to a wide range of arts organisations, community groups and local authorities. www.blacklimelight.com
Golden Touch Property and Maintenance Solutions offer a professional, reliable and value-for-money service. With over 20 years experience, we are competent in all areas of home and office maintenance, repair and renovations. Our current speciality – ‘Kitchen Facelifts’ – offers an economical way to update your kitchen, without the expense of all new fittings. For further information or a no-obligation quote call FREEPHONE 0808 or visit www.goldentouchbuilders.co.uk
1800 345
A member of The UK Consumer Protection Agency
With our lives becoming increasingly hectic, shopping can sometimes be the last thing we want to do... Afribbean Express can take the hassle out of shopping by delivering all your African and Caribbean products direct to your door (home or place of work – wherever appropriate).
From breads and buns, to salt-fish and sorrel. Seasonings, rice, drinks......you name it, Afribbean Express will bring it. Not only will we be offering a home shopping service, but also a ready-made frozen meal option for those who may not be able to shop and cook for themselves, or for those just too busy to find the time. Meals will be of a high standard, without the use of additives, colourings, excessive use of salt or any MSG. Afribbean Express will initially be serving the London area, with a view to expanding into surrounding areas by the end of 2010. We will be providing a first class professional and courteous service to all, always seeking 100% customer satisfaction.
To be amongst the first to know about our launch date, send an email to: One lucky customer will receive their order free of charge on our first delivery round! (terms and conditions will apply) Our website will feature guest cooks and recipes, helping you to plan your week’s meals. We will also be educating you on how to prepare and eat raw foods, and why raw foods are so beneficial to us.
So register today at office@afribbeanexpress.co.uk and start enjoying the experience of food!
The
5 steps to achievement...
No matter how ambitious your goal, you CAN achieve it. Step by step you will get there. There will be difficult times when you feel like giving up, but always believe in yourself. Whatever age you are, you can always achieve. Remember, achievements are ‘personal accomplishments’ so do not compare yourself to anyone else. You are unique, therefore your target is your own. 1. What is your goal? Goal setting needs to be clear. Create a mental picture of what you want to achieve. Picture yourself in your dream job... graduating from University... gaining good grades in your GCSE’s... getting the keys to your new home... being picked as school captain... opening your business bank account... signing your first business deal. Whatever it is that YOU want – you must visualise it and revisit this scene in your head all the time.
3. Make a step by step plan: When we think about a goal, it may
2. Define Your Goal: be SMART. Your goals must be:
4. In your face! Make sure that you can see your goal wherever you go. Write it down and stick it on the fridge, on the wardrobe, on the car window. Send yourself a text or an email, have it as your screensaver even!
S – Specific. For example, say “I want to run in and complete the London Marathon” M – Measureable. Can your goal be monitored and measured? Will you actually know when you have done this? A – Achievable. Are you setting yourself a goal which is personally achievable? Do you enjoy running? Are you physically fit enough to run 26 miles? Are there any obstacles which would prevent you from doing this? R – Realistic. If your goals are realistic then they are achievable. Unrealistic goals will most often fail, which in turn makes us personally feel like failures putting us off from trying again. T – Time-bound. Set yourself a date that you want to reach your goal. Again, be realistic with this. Don’t try and enter the 2010 marathon if you have never trained for such a run!
seem really big and too much for us to deal with. So we put it off and it becomes a burden.
By having an action plan with small steps and due by dates, it’s easier to deal with and progress can be seen which serves as a real incentive. Tick off each completed step and congratulate yourself along the way!
5. Get Support: Who can help you to achieve your goal? Who can you rely on to give you an honest opinion? Get networking and mix with likeminded positive people. By doing this, you broaden your knowledge, contacts and chances of succeeding. Anyone can network! You don’t have to be a high flying corporate professional in a suit. Networking is about talking to different people, being interested in who they are and what they do and being confident in who you are. There are some amazing, genuine people out there who will be happy to help you find your way.
Greenwich Chess Group
was established because of the low levels of Chess activity in the London borough of Greenwich. Our revised plan now is to provide the teaching of Chess to the majority of children that live in and attend school in the boroughs of Greenwich, Southwark, Lewisham and Lambeth.
Eynsham Hall, Oxfordshire Friday 26th - Sunday 28th March 2010
business
r e t r e at
It is believed that Chess is a powerful educational tool that motivates children to learn, so we plan to organise and set up Chess clubs at various sites and to offer weekly instruction in both primary and secondary schools. The future of Chess in Greenwich, Southwark, Lewisham and Lambeth will depend on improving the image of Chess and by encouraging as many children and young people as possible to learn and play the game. It is our intention to identify talented players and to provide them with the best opportunities to develop their skills at chess and to encourage them to take part in both local and national chess tournaments. For more information, please contact Richard Pittman Weekes II on 07939 027048 or email greenwich-chessgroup@hotmail.co.uk
Workshop Seminars: Getting Your Message Across / Quality Management / Financial Planning for Growth Motivational Factors – Setting Goals for Yourself / Strategies & Tools for Business Survival & Growth Networking & Presentations for Successes / Incorporate 9 Guiding Principles into your Business Plan
The retreat will focus your mind on key issues for your business development and sustainability in challenging times, offering space to network whilst receiving essential professional support. K e yn o t e sp e ak e r s :
Rob Knight Vice President, Barings Bank UK Dr. Anita Davis-DeFoe Social Entrepreneur, Author – ‘A Woman’s Guide to Soulful Living’
& ‘Follow Her Lead: Leadership Lessons For Women As They Journey From the Backroom to the Boardroom’
For further information, email info@ampod.co.uk Book online: www.ampod.co.uk (Early Bird discounts available) Ampod Business Development & Training provides services to people who want to start a business, aspiring business owners and existing small businesses. We assist businesses to grow and become more profitable. We empower and inspire leadership through our training programmes in entrepreneurial skills development and business planning. Our one-to-one consultancy services offer in-depth business analysis and solutions to business problems and issues.
Greenwich Chess Group
teaching children chess
We believe that self employment and economic independence is a real option for ordinary people. We work with all sectors of society our diversity policy reflects our inclusive spirit. We also run programmes especially designed for schools.
Please contact us at ywitter@ampod.co.uk for consultancy rates and further information about starting your business. ... and join us on www.enterprise4women.ning.com
The
e StoTn HAT ED S U F R E THE er . Build
Spaces on our Cruisers are available for the Winter term beginning January 2010. However, spaces are limited and are offered on a first comefirst served basis. All our drivers are PCO registered and CRB checked. Xpress Runners also offer a courier service, transportation for families and the elderly, and we also take bookings for wedding parties, hen nights and other all female groups.
Precious is an online magazine, network and resource for women of colour. We launched in 1999 and were the first publication of its kind to launch in the UK. Our aim is to be the premier destination for women of colour on the web. I’d dreamt of launching a magazine for women of colour since I was a kid. When I was younger there were no British magazines that featured girls that looked like me, I’d spend my pocket money on American imports and they were great, but I really wanted to read about the Black British experience. When I grew older and started working in the media as a journalist I quickly realised how expensive setting up a print magazine was. I just didn’t have those kinds of funds so I decided to put the magazine idea at the back of my mind for a while. In 1996 I began working in the Online department of ITN. Because of the nature of my job, I spent a lot of time researching online. I came across so many online publications aimed at African-American women but there was nothing for those based in the UK.
I soon realised that the web gave me a way of publishing and this was a way for me to launch the magazine that I had always dreamed of doing. So I followed my dream. When I was thinking about a name, I wanted something that summed up how I felt about the women I knew and what I wanted the magazine to be the women who read it. Precious seemed so apt. Our aim is to profile and celebrate the professional and entrepreneurial achievements of women of colour in the UK. We host a number of events throughout the year and we host an annual awards event that celebrates businesswomen. Our readership is global; our core audience is Black and Asian women aged between 18 and 45. We also work with a range of corporate partners on various projects be it recruitment, events or helping them to showcase their products to our diverse audience. Positive people doing their own thing inspire us. There is so much talent out there, we want to play our part in exposing it and we hope that people see Precious as a vehicle to global success.
If you want to talk to Precious please contact me, the Founder, Foluke Akinlose:
Email: foluke@preciousonline.co.uk