Their project was so successful, they were even asked by the council to review a number of their buildings and the DVD has since been used by many schools throughout the UK. Their hard work, creativity and dedication to the cause is what made them one of the winners in the 2009 Performance category. To find out more about their project, check out the video below:

If you or someone you know has taken action on an issue or cause like the Time4Change group, send in a nomination to the CHANGEit awards. There’s only 1 week left before the deadline on 11 December 2009 so act fast! Nominate today!

The Friends of Heriot Grange are six young people from Hartlepool who are closing that gap by spending time at a local elderly residence. They were winners in the 2009 Innovation category of the CHANGEit awards for their campaign to plan more activities that bring people of all ages together and inspire more young people at their school to volunteer to spend time with the residents of Heriot Grange.

Take a look at a day at Heriot Grange:

Campaigns about closing the age gap and any other action that is making a difference to people in a UK community, are exactly what CHANGEit wants to recognise. If you’re running a campaign, have an idea to create change or know a young person who fits the bill, nominate them for a CHANGEit award today!

Over the next few weeks, we’ll highlight past finalists in each category with video and pictures. Their stories are just a few of the billions of examples of what young people are doing to make a difference in the UK. If you’re out there making a difference too…share your story and enter the CHANGEit awards.

Now, meet Christina:

Christina, 16, has been volunteering in Action for Stannington since the age of 12. Zumming up and down Stannington on her 50cc scooter, Christina is able to organise activities and tasks, keeping her peers out of boredom. Jobs such as gardening for older residents, looking after the local park, art and craft, recycling or simply chill out afternoons are often led by Christina. Her dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed, as Christina has had the opportunity to meet every Sheffield’s Lord Mayor for the last four years, the Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, Nick Clegg MP, South Yorkshire’s Lord Lieutenant, South Yorkshire’s High Sheriff and HRH The Duke of York (true!). Same as any other young volunteer in Action for Stannington, Christina comes from a socially disadvantaged background; yet she has been able to put her energies and enthusiasm to good use. Christina and her peers would rather be out and about doing something worthwhile, rather than sitting long hours attending boring meetings.

CHANGEit is thrilled to have been able to recognise the fantastic work Christina does, and hopes to recognise thousands more like Christina during 2010!

Unlike other awards, we’re not concerned about your exam marks, academic achievements or how many GCSE’s you have. (Don’t get us wrong…education is REALLY important!) But, at CHANGEit, the focus is more on the kinds of activities you do and the ways in which you have an impact on the world around you. Do you spend your time winge-ing? Or do you volunteer in the community, mentor a peer, fundraise for charity or find creative ways to turn negatives into positives? Taking part in or leading activities that have a positive impact on your community means you’re changing the way society works and building a better future for everyone. It’s that kind of activity CHANGEit wants to recognise and reward!

So if you’re taking action, want to get involved or are interested in showing the world the change you see around you – get involved with CHANGEit! We have training, support and cash prizes of up to £750 to award to finalists in three categories:

• Innovation – for people who have an idea to improve their community but need training or support to get started
• Performance – to celebrate the achievements of young people who have already taken positive action in their local areas.
• Photography – young people’s photos that capture campaigning in action or images that illustrate the change you see in the world around you

Don’t miss out! It doesn’t matter what kind of action you’re taking, if it’s positive, creative and having an impact we want to make sure you get the recognition you deserve. The deadline to send in your ideas, photographs and campaigning successes is 11 December 2009.

Andrew accepting his 2007 Spotlight award from Ben Shephard, TV presenter, and Graham Hodgkin, Managing Director, Country/Corporate Banking Coverage Head (UK & Ireland) at Deutsche Bank

CHANGEit, the awards Common Purpose and Deutsche Bank developed from Spotlight, are thrilled to see Andrew’s dedication and commitment to fundraising. He is passionate about supporting CHOX so that thousands of children can receive the care they need. He’s a perfect example of what you can achieve if you set your mind to something – and just keep going!

If you’re near the Oxford area and would like to support Andrew’s campaign, he is hosting a Play2Give celebration on Saturday 26 September near Abingdon. Read the Special Effect article or email play2give@hotmail.com for more information.

Keep up the great work Andrew!

“Scheming” – by Jon. 2009 CHANGEit Photography finalist.

According to research published in the magazine Children & Young People Now, 98% of 12- to 25-year-olds feel that the media always, often or sometimes represents them as antisocial.  That’s alot of young people! 

That’s why organisations like CHANGEit are aiming to share good stories about youth, and better yet, support them in speaking for themselves and taking action on the things they’re passionate about.  The other day we learned about another great project that’s aiming to help young people speak out through their writing – My Voice: Write or Wrong?

My Voice is a bursary scheme that wants to help 13 to 19 year old writers develop their skills.  They are awarding nine bursaries to young people who are passionate and committed to developing their writing, can write in a variety of styles including poetry, fiction, journalism and plays and can demonstrate through their writing an ability to look at the issues of our time (Example: contemporary life for young people; freedom of expression; preventing violent extremism or young people in the media)

Bursary winners will be mentored by professional writers, have a chance to share their own writing to a large audience, receive book tokens and work with local libraries to help select great books for young people. 

If you’re a young writer or know a young person who fits the bill, tell them about this terrific opportunity.  More information can be found on the My Voice: Write or Wrong? website.  The deadline for applications is 5 October 2009 so get writing!

If you are already active in your local communities – perhaps as a student representative, or a trustee of a local charity, or on your local residents association committee, the About Time programme can help you consider your next steps in your public life career. The programme is specially designed to help with the transition from local appointment, to a regional or national one.  You’ll be introduced to senior board members, the principles of good governance and their practical application, and have an opportunity to reflect on your own strengths and motivations to make sure you can make the best contribution to public life. The programme is also a great development opportunity, with skills workshops to ensure you’re a more effective board member, and advice and help on the application process and techniques.

Placements on the training sessions are fully funded by the Anchor Trust.  For more information, or to download an application form visit the About Time website.  

There are still a few places left for the first programme on 12 & 13 November 2009, but be quick!

We know there are a lot of people out there who want to change the world, but the prospect of taking on big issues can get a bit overwhelming. These 5 books are filled with loads of fun and easy ways you can do small things to change the world in a big way. What are you waiting for?

Change the world for a fiver  (We are what we do)

365 ways to change the world  (Michael Norton)

The Everyday Activist: Everything You Need to Know to Get Off Your Backside and Make a Difference  (Michael Norton)

Random Acts of Kindness: 365 Ways to Make the World a Nicer Place  (Danny Wallace)

1001 Ways You Can Save the Planet: Practical Ideas to Heal and Change the World  (Joanna Yarrow)

Turn your neighbours into actors and tell the story of your street. Make a short film about local life before, during and after The Big Lunch. That’s the brief, staring you in the face, with a big fat juicy £1000 carrot if you win. If you are not already involved in a Big Lunch, you can join another lunch taking place in your local area. To find your nearest Big Lunch, check out our interactive map at www.thebiglunch.com and make contact with the organiser to see if you can go along on the day with your camera.

Need help with the plot? Ask yourself: How neighbourly is my hood? Who knows who? Who feels alone? Who holds the fabric of our street together? What magic lurks untapped? Who can play the ukelele? Who grows smutty veg? Who has seen war in the flesh? What are the tough issues? How big is my cast? Am I in it? Who might make a fascinating study? Will they trust me and open up as the best films do?

Film (like smoked salmon) is cheap now. Still, it costs, so stay lo-fi if you can. Content over style please. Make your film about people, knowing your neighbours, and how they gel on epic days like The Big Lunch. If you’re broke, plea for funds.

Here are the specifics:

• Open to: 16-25 yr olds (but it can star any age, the wider the better)
• Length: 6 mins max
• Format: DVD in one of these: MP4 (ipod/psp), MPEG, FLV (adobe flash), MOV (mac), AVI (windows), SWF (shockwave flash), MKV (h.264)
• Deadline: September 1st 2009
• Music: Be smart – this might end up on C4, so don’t abuse copyright. Get a pal to mash up a mix, or try open source music at: creativecommons.org, magnatune.com, royaltyfreemusic.com
• Judges: They know their onions. They’ve made movies. They’re looking for talent. No pressure, but aim high and make the biggest, boldest, best short film you can.
• Prize: £1000 for the winner (go on; split it with your neighbour). £150 cash to most loved by Joe Public on Big Lunch TV.
• Screening: Winner on C4 with luck. “Best Of” screenings in central London – let you know the venue nearer the time.

For further info, to read the briefing and for Terms and Conditions visit The Big Lunch website.

Rajeeb Dey was a finalist in the 2004 Spotlight awards (the awards Common Purpose and Deutsche Bank ran just before we started CHANGEit in 2008). Later, he went on to found ESSA, the English Secondary Students’ Association, an organisation that works to give young people a voice. And more recently, he’s been working on Enternships.com, fantastic new way of connecting new enterprising organisations, with bright young talent.

Enternships.com gives students and graduates the opportunity to build employability skills by working with the world’s most cutting edge entrepreneurs and start-ups. Every corporate values entrepreneurial work experience on candidates CVs, while some of the most talented and creative minds have ultimately chosen the entrepreneurial route. Whether you want to learn how to be the next Steve Jobs or Richard Branson, or simply have a CV that stands out from the rest – check out Enternships. You never know what opportunities might be available!

Just goes to show you how young people can make a difference, Raj has been doing it for years, and you can do it too (perhaps with a bit of help from ESSA, Enternships or CHANGEit!)