Charity scoops award for igniting youngsters' self-confidence (From Swindon Advertiser)

Charity scoops award for igniting youngsters' self-confidence

3:30pm Monday 12th April 2010 in

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WORK in Swindon to restore young people’s self-belief has been recognised in a national awards ceremony.

Youth charity Inner Flame has been honoured with a Seen and Heard award, sponsored by BT and the UK Youth Parliament.

It received the award in recognition of the contribution that it has made to young people.

It was chosen by a panel of young people as the best project from a young person in the south west.

The award was presented to Inner Flame’s co-founders David Wreathall and Glenn Bridges at the Houses of Parliament by Olympic silver medal winning diver Leon Taylor.

Mr Wreathall said: “We were very pleasantly surprised because we haven’t been going that long.

“Having that recognition for all the effort we have put in to make a difference in young people’s lives, that was the main thing for us.”

The charity was started in 2008 and launched officially in April 2009.

Its aim was to inspire young people to reach their potential.

Organisers run an intensive four-day residential course of physical challenges, workshops and speakers, designed to help participants to develop their self-esteem, build confidence, find a clearer sense of direction and take action towards their goals.

Members of Parliament and the House of Lords, including Conservative MP Anne Widdecombe, were at the awards ceremony.

Mr Wreathall said the current economic climate was damaging for young people because so many could not find work.

He said: “Most of them don’t have as much confidence as they could have.

“Some of them have struggled to deal with stuff that’s happened to them, some of them just don’t believe in themselves and are holding themselves back.

“We have got a powerful, strong experience for them to make rapid changes.”