Young people and groups whose achievements in the Dublin Docklands area deserve recognition are to be honoured under a new initiative from the Dublin Docklands Development Authority.

The Docklands Young Achiever Awards project was launched by Dónall Curtin, member of the Board of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority on Thursday 25 January at the 5th Annual Dublin Docklands Social Regeneration Conference.

The Docklands Young Achiever Awards 2007 are open to either individuals or groups, aged between 11 and 18 years. In the individual section, there are five categories including Personal Achievement; Service to the Community; Sport; Young Carer and Volunteer, and people can be nominated in two separate age divisions, 11 to 14 and 15 to 18 years.

The group section is open to nominations for young people aged 11 to 18 in three categories– Service to the Community; Sport and Group Volunteers. Entry forms have been distributed throughout the Docklands area and are also available on the Docklands Authority website www.dublindocklands.ie. Nominations are now invited from third parties who know the individuals or groups concerned and believe they are deserving of an award.

Speaking at the launch Gerry Kelly, Director of Social Regeneration with the Docklands Authority, said that the Awards aim to recognise the outstanding merits of young people whether for their talent, bravery or simply the positive contribution they make to the Docklands area.

“The Docklands Young Achiever Awards are not simply about rewarding those who are ‘the best’ at something but about those who have achieved regardless of any barriers or circumstances they may have endured on their journey to achievement,” he said.

The entries will be judged by an independent selection panel chaired by Dónall Curtin, Board Member, Dublin Docklands Development Authority and including Superintendent Ray Barry, Store Street Garda Station; Mary Finan, Council Member, Dublin Docklands Development Authority; Pat Magner, Council Member, Dublin Docklands Development Authority; Donal O’Connor, Senior Partner, Price Waterhouse Cooper and Niall Quinn, Chairman of Sunderland Football Club.

The Docklands Young Achiever Awards 2007 will be presented at a ceremony in late March, 2007 when specially-designed trophies will be presented to all category winners. There will also be a special prize for the overall winner. The closing date for entries is 5pm on Friday 2 March 2007.

People with any queries in relation to the Docklands Young Achiever Awards or those looking for a nomination form should contact Eleanor Smyth, Dublin Docklands Development Authority Tel 818 3300 email: esmyth@dublindocklands.ie