• Young People of the Year or 'YOPEY' is a campaign to give young people a fairer image in the media – and society as a whole – by 'revealing, recognising and rewarding' young unsung heroes and setting them up as positive role models for other young people to copy.
• By doing this YOPEY improves relations between the generations, including reducing the elderly's fear of teenagers.
• We also give free citizenship lessons in schools and are looking at giving micro finance to young people wanting to improve their community.
• National leaders have praised YOPEY. You can read endorsements from David Cameron, Ed Miliband and others on this page.
• YOPEY is mainly supported by commercial companies as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility. But it can also promote your business. YOPEY can train staff volunteers to give presentations on good citizenship.
• We also receive support from public services – the police and councils have become big backers in recent years – and charitable trusts.
• Together with all these people YOPEY is building a better society.
• Sponsors range from FTSE100 companies to SMEs. You can see all of them on our Thanks pages.
Your school to put on YOPEY awards?
How your school could help to put on a YOPEY awards ceremony. Here about 30 volunteers from Ely College, the local comprehensive in the town of the same name, put on the 2012 Cambridgeshire YOPEYs at Ely Cathedral...
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YOPEY's main aims and objectives
On the Charity Commission's website, YOPEY’s Activities are listed as:
We run campaigns to combat the bad press inflicted on young people by revealing, recognising and rewarding young unsung heroes and setting them up as positive role models (PRMs) for other young people to copy. These campaigns are usually held in a single counties but we have done larger areas, such as the whole of the UK for a magazine in 2008, and smaller areas, such as a town or council district.
The Charity Commission lists YOPEY’s Charitable Objects as:
The
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The YOPEYs in five minutes!
Ideal to show in school assemblies, this short film is about the kinds of young positive role models that YOPEY promotes and how to nominate.
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Boris backs London YOPEY
The Mayor of London Boris Johnson has become the latest political leader to endorse YOPEY following, among others, David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband.
Upon hearing about the John Lewis Young People of the Year – the first YOPEY in the capital – Boris said: “London is full of talented young people who are doing amazing things to help their communities.
"It is fantastic that Young People of the Year are showcasing the achievements of these role models and encouraging more youngsters to strive to be the best they can.”
YOPEY
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Typical YOPEY awards ceremony
Founder Tony Gearing opens Bedfordshire YOPEY
For more on these awards click here
Weren’t the Olympics and Paralympics marvelous, amazing, or as the young would say AWESOME. Well, welcome to the Olympics for young people who give to the community. Just like the medal winners at the Games, I believe every young person here can be role models for today’s younger generation, and a source of pride for the older generations.
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YOPEY writes to all Police Commissioners
Following the first elections for Police and Crime Commissioners, YOPEY founder Tony Gearing has written to all the successful candidates to invite them to join forces to hold a YOPEY in their police service area. We list all their names and areas below. Watch this space!
Mrs Sue Mountstevens – Avon and Somerset
Mr Olly Martins – Bedfordshire
Sir Graham Bright – Cambridgeshire
Mr John Dwyer – Cheshire
Mr Barry Coppinger – Cleveland
Mr Richard Rhodes – Cumbria
Mr Alan Charles –
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YOPEY condemns unfair TV ad about youth crime
FACT – 30% of adults aged 16-24 were victims of crimes covered by the CSEW, compared to 21% of all adults.
FACT – 15% of adults aged 16-24 were victims of personal crime (e.g. violence, robbery, theft from the person), compared to 6% of all adults.
YOPEY founder Tony Gearing was interviewed on Radio 5 Live on October 10th condemning a TV ad that is promoting the elections for Police and Crime Commissioners. He also appeared on BBC Radio Suffolk and BBC Radio Kent. The story was also reported in national newspaper of the year, the
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Why YOPEY needs sponsors...
A short film – made at the Bedfordshire 'Blue Light' Young People of the Year awards ceremony – that sums up what our awards are about, and why we need help from sponsors...
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