Space @ The Broomhouse Hub’s Youth Befriending programme, which matches adult volunteers with young people to help access new opportunities, has been awarded The King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) for 2024. This is the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.
Space Youth Befriending pairs isolated children aged five to 16 with a befriender to support and encourage them in exploring fresh activities and hobbies, building confidence, self-esteem and helping them build their own social groups.
Nicola Campbell, Youth Befriending Project Manager, said:
Learning that we have been awarded the King’s Award for Voluntary Service came as a complete surprise, given that we are a local service within a relatively small team.
This award is well-deserved because without our wonderful volunteers giving their time and energy, passing on their knowledge and skills to our young people, there would be no service. As a charity, we see the difference and impact our volunteers have on our young people’s lives. This award is deserved recognition of all that hard work.
Created in 2002 to celebrate Her Majesty The late Queen’s Golden Jubilee, The King’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to support their communities. This marks the second year of KAVS; recipients are announced annually on 14 Nov., The King’s Birthday.
Neil Hay, Space CEO, said:
No charity can exist without volunteers, and this is just one of our innovative services that relies so much on the generosity of our communities. Our Youth Befriending programme is about treating young people with respect and empowering them to live their best life. It is a remarkable project which has achieved amazing results over the years.
Representatives of Space Youth Befriending will receive the award crystal and certificate from Robert Aldridge, Rt. Hon. Lord Provost and Lord Lieutenant of the City of Edinburgh, in March 2025 at the City Chambers. In addition, two volunteers will join other recipients of this year’s award at a garden party at Holyroodhouse later in the summer.
