The second annual We Can Awards took place at Belfast Castle from 7pm on Thursday 16th November 2023.

 Seven award winners were present with their families and friends having been nominated by their schools and community groups. They were joined by a range of people from across the spectrum that is THRiVE Newtownabbey – Funders, Youth & Community workers, School Principals’ and other staff, Parent Champions and more were welcomed on their arrival to the red carpet by a Butler and a TV reporter!

From the outset it was clear that this was not going to be your average awards ceremony!

As guests assembled, everything they experienced – from Magician’s to Photobooths, A sensory space, and a balloon arch, as well as ‘We Can’ themed refreshments, had been arranged by a young people’s planning group drawn together from the Bridge Youth Centre, Monkstown and Monkstown Boxing Club.

This group of young people confidently shared their opinions to shape a night that will be remembered for a very long time by everyone who was there to enjoy it!  

Once the pre-ceremony entertainment was concluded, at the Butler’s invitation, everyone moved into the main hall where Alicia and Kailey, two of the young people from the planning group expertly guided everyone through the main presentation part of the evening. 

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Councillor Julie Gilmour, who presented the Award winners with their prizes said of the event: 

If you could bottle the positivity and fizz and excitement of the We Can Awards, it would really be something amazing. 

I was delighted to be there on the night and felt very privileged to present such a group of inspirational and positive young people with their awards. I look forward to “watching this space” and seeing what happens next for them.

Thanks to all of the parents, teachers and youth workers who all go above and beyond every day to support these young people and also to the young people who ran the evening, who planned and organised and presented an awesome event.

Anna, one of the young people who took part in the Young People’s planning group said: 

Meeting together to help plan and deliver the We Can Awards was such a fun and rewarding experience. The THRiVE team were so encouraging in every meeting, with everyone feeling welcome to contribute their ideas – no matter what they were! We all learnt a lot as we went through the process of planning and confirming exactly what was happening on the night and  I can’t wait to see what WE CAN do next. Who knows, maybe we will be involved in planning the Awards again next year!

THRiVE Project Co-ordinator, Claire Humphrey said: 

The WE CAN Awards was a celebration of the achievements of fantastic children and young people. And of all the partners involved in the THRiVE collaboration. It was wonderful to work with an amazing group of young people who both designed, organised and hosted the event. And really special to hear the stories of why teachers and community workers had nominated the seven children and young people for awards – super examples of learning, being well and being connected. Delighted in all their achievements and of the support of their families too. A fantastic night to celebrate thriving children, young people, families 😊 And the collective effort of all those working in and with this community.

Our seven Award recipients this year were:

We Can Learn: Thom McGlade (St. James’s Primary School), and Ella-Mae Doole (Abbey Community College)

We Can Be Healthy And Well: Parker Lamont (Rathcoole Primary School), and Brooke Thompson (Monkstown Boxing Club)

We Can Be Connected: Kenzie Harbinson (King’s Park Primary School), Carly Richmond (NACN), and Taras Lypovetski (King’s Park Primary School)

You can watch the nominators videos for each of our fantastic 2023 We Can Award Winners below.

We Can… Learn

Thom McGlade…

Ella-Mae Doole…

We Can… Be healthy and well
Parker Lamont…

Brooke Thompson…

We Can… Be connected

Kenzie Harbinson…

Carly Richmond…

Taras Lypovetski…

As well as a bespoke ‘We Can Award’ created by NACN and a certificate, each Award winner received a Madlug rucksack donated by Dave Linton and his team at Madlug, Each bag contained a range of items donated by local businesses such as Abbey Centre,  Airtastic, Apache Pizza, Whiteabbey, CDE Global, Eurospar Rathcoole, McDonalds (Glengormley), Glengormley Sportsbowl, Movie House Cinemas (Glengormley), Smurfit Kappa, and Smyths Toys Superstores.