Youth projects receive Crofton Award for achievements in reducing tobacco related harm in their communities

17 November 2010

The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS), in partnership with ASH Scotland, have awarded two youth projects a share of £1500 prize money in recognition of their achievements in reducing tobacco and smoking-related harm in Scotland. This unique award contributes towards the development of new ideas and innovation by and for young people themselves. Speaking at the REHIS Awards Ceremony in Edinburgh where the two groups received their Crofton Awards, ASH Scotland Chief Executive Sheila Duffy said:

"The Crofton Award highlights not only that young people are interested in the issue of tobacco and its impact on themselves, their friends and family, and their community, but they have ideas for both prevention and quitting that are innovative and imaginative and are well worth rewarding. The standard of applications was very high but of course we could only have one winner for each category. I hope the entrants apply again in the future, as they all had so many good ideas.

"REHIS is to be congratulated for promoting an award that recognises the work and achievements of young people who are often the target of the tobacco industry's need to recruit new smokers to maintain its huge sales and profits. It is clear that there is much work being done across Scotland by young people to take on Big Tobacco and make Scotland a healthier place and they deserve to be recognised and commended for their work and spirit."

Commenting on the winner of the 2010 Crofton Award, Bridges Project, based in East Lothian, and supported by Lothians based Fast Forward, a national voluntary organisation which promotes health and well-being through education by, with and for young people, Tom Bell, Chief Executive of REHIS said:

"This was a close competition but we felt that Bridges Project fully deserved the Crofton Award for both the standard of their work and the development of the young people during their project the 'Journey of a Cigarette'. The project involved the young people looking at all aspects of tobacco, including farming, marketing, smoking, addiction, role of the media, and the health impacts of tobacco.

"The young people have been involved in every aspect of producing two short and witty films ('Make 'It' happen' and ' Caged') to educate and entertain their peers and others on smoking and tobacco. The young people researched, wrote, developed, acted and recorded the films which have now been shown to a wide variety of people including peers of the young people, youth workers, and those involved in tobacco control and health. The films which were recorded entirely in-house on a small budget have had such a positive response, they have been requested by other youth workers as a tool to inspire others into similar work.

"The judges were particularly pleased to see that this project had increased the confidence and understanding of the young people, given them a sense of pride in their work and achievements, and given them creative and employability skills which they can use in the future. We wanted to recognise the motivation and enthusiasm they have to continue with this project and take it to a wider audience.

"Bridges Project will use their £1000 prize money to achieve their ambition to create a tobacco peer education project for East Lothian. They will take their new learning and films into schools, youth projects and to young people in looked after accommodation. They also hope to make more films which can be posted on the internet to reach even more people. They will be able to use the Crofton Award money for materials, resources, marketing, and travelling to other events. Bridges Project is a well-deserved winner and we wish them every success."

Tom Bell went on to also congratulate the Crofton Best Newcomer winners, the Golspie Youth Action Project (GYAP) saying:

"The GYAP application was a clear Best Newcomer winner for us. Their previous work has helped create a positive image of young people in Golspie and the Crofton Award specifically wants to reward and encourage young people's activity in their community.

"The GYAP has looked at the issue of smoking within their community and its impact on health, relationships, appearance, and environment. The young people have been involved in developing an animation about the negative impact of smoking with help of a professional animator but have not had the funding to take it further. I'm delighted that they can use their £500 Crofton prize money towards developing this project to its fruition and using it in their work at schools and youth clubs.

"This is a creative idea to highlight the issue of tobacco and smoking which will appeal to young people whilst also helping the youth project members increase their skills, and develop creatively and socially by taking their own ideas and themes for the animation forward. I look forward to seeing the finished result."