Child-friendly Medway is launching a brand-new initiative called ‘Medway Young Citizens Award’ to recognise and celebrate children and young people who have done something outstanding, made a difference in their school or community, or have overcome challenges.
Children and young people from year 3 to the end of year 6 (ages 7 to 11) attending a Medway school or living in Medway can be recognised by parents, carers, community members, other pupils, friends, and school staff for going above and beyond. If you're under 16, you can also take part but your nomination must be sent from a parent, carer or other responsible adult’s email address on your behalf. They will act as the main point of contact for your nomination.
Nominations will open on Friday 1 November.
A Medway Young Citizen could be a child or young person who:
- cares for animals
- helps an elderly resident
- is an anti-bully ambassador
- clears litter
- is polite
- learns or shares a creative skill
- is a good friend
- is courageous or compassionate
- or something else that needs recognising!
Watch our YouTube video of Portfolio Holder for Children's Services Cllr Adam Price explaining more about why you should help give recognition to
Child-friendly Medway themes
The Young Citizens programme is based on the 7 core Child-friendly Medway themes set by children and young people.
Child-friendly Medway is led by the voices, views, ideas and inspiration of children and young people in Medway.
The themes include:
- Clean and green: ensuring the area is clean and well-maintained, free of litter
- Community focused: being inclusive of everyone in Medway, regardless of race, gender, sexuality or other characteristics
- Health and wellbeing: encouraging healthy lifestyles and providing activities to support this
- Creativity and culture: providing opportunities and spaces to learn, collaborate and work creatively. Celebrating Medway’s rich culture and identity through people and place
- Aspirational: offering children and young people opportunities to pursue their education, employment, hopes and dreams
- Engaging: actively involving children and young people in the decisions that affect their lives and by using their voices to shape the opportunities they have
- Safety: working to ensure Medway is a safe place for everyone to live, work and play without the fear of anti-social behaviour, crime or intimidation.
How to take part
For term 1 of the Young Citizens award, the nomination period runs from Friday 1 November to Friday 6 December.
Pupils, friends, parents, carers, community members and school staff can nominate (or self-nominate) a child or young person who they think should be recognised as a great Young Citizen of Medway.
To send your nomination, email childfriendly@medway.gov.uk and include the following details:
- who you would like to nominate (full name)
- why you're nominating them
- what school or community organisation you're from
- your name and job title.
You can also submit your nomination by completing our online form.
Send a Medway Young Citizen Award nomination form
If you're under 16, you'll need a parent, carer or other responsible adult to email your nomination. They will need to send your nomination via their own email address and state their name and job role. For example, teacher, parent, volunteer.
Submissions will be reviewed and used to select winners of a Medway Young Citizens Award. Certificates will be shared termly with the child or young person’s school or directly to the parent, carer or other responsible adult’s email address for community nominations.
If you have any photos featuring a Medway Young Citizen (with their parent/carer consent) that you would like to share with us, please tag @childfriendlymedway on Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).