Claire Whyte recognized as one Scotland’s top 3 youth workers of the year.
Fersands Community Worker and Youth Worker, Claire Whyte, was honored at the National Youth Work awards in Glasgow at the start of June.
Claire was nominated for the awards by colleagues and young people she has been supporting over the years at Fersands.
The Lockdown period was difficult for everyone, but Claire responded by providing more services for young people in the community. She supported a group looking at the effects of lock down and the mental health impact on young people. They created a fantastic community mural and forged links with Mental Health Aberdeen. Wellbeing hampers were delivered to youths at the height of lockdown, each with comforting gifts, drawing pads, books to read and a warm scarf or pair of socks and information where to get help.
This support and offer of help were much appreciated by young people and their families. Claire also initiated the Bedroom Project, offering support to families to help them improve teenagers’ bedrooms. Not all teenagers have comfortable warm bedrooms and having a safe comfortable space that you are happy with can be very important.
These efforts helped Claire secure a place as one of the top three finalists in the category of Youth Worker of The Year. Claire and a small entourage from Fersands headed down to the Glasgow Hilton Hotel for the prestigious ceremony. The Community Project was very proud to reach the final and had a great time at the glamorous evening hosted by Jane McCarry, who you may know as Isa from Still Game. Claire didn’t come home with the top prize, but it was good to see that the whole of Scotland does value Youth Work and they have been very impressed with the standard of work being produced by Claire and her team.