Community award for Roxana

A University of Teesside student has been named as Youth Worker of the Year in recognition of her commitment to the local community.

Roxana Rauf, 25, from Middlesbrough, has been working with the local Asian community since she was 16. Initially a volunteer, she is now employed part-time by Middlesbrough Youth Service as a supervisor at the Newport Youth & Community Centre. Roxana organises several groups for young people including a girls groups, a homework club and workshops on issues such as bullying, drugs, crime prevention and racism. At University, Roxana is in the second year of the BSc (Hons) Social Work/Learning Disability Nursing course.

Roxana said: “It was great to win the award especially as it was totally unexpected. It shows that I’ve had some impact on people’s lives, and I hope to continue doing that in the future. I’ve always wanted to work with people who are in vulnerable positions, whether they are children with learning difficulties, adults with behavioural problems or members of ethnic minorities, who often have their own problems that can lead to social exclusion.

“The degree course I’m doing is great because of the mix of practical and theoretical study. I’ve been on placements in lots of hospitals and care homes in the area and some of them have been tough but rewarding. I really want to see more Asian girls getting into work and considering a career, as it is an area that many girls from my community don’t always have much access to.”

The award was presented to Roxana at the first Celebration of Youth Work event held by Middlesbrough Youth Service. Part of the work that led to the award was Roxana’s management of a multi-cultural mural at the Newport Youth & Community Centre. Working with local children and artists, the team created a colourful mural representing all areas of the community and different faiths.

The citation of the award commended Roxana as being a positive role model for staff and young people, a deliverer of issued based work and multi-cultural projects and having a high commitment to personal development.

Roxana is also a qualified interpreter for speakers of Urdu and Punjabi and a student representative for her class at university.

To find out more about volunteering for youth work in Middlesbrough, call 01642 802893, contact Sam Gallilee.

For further information about the BSc (Hons) Social Work/Learning Disability Nursing course, call 011642 384110/384113 or visit: www.tees.ac.uk

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