2009 Award Winner

 WINNER: Young Leader

Emily Robertson, ‘I Can’ Project Coordinator, African Community Centre Wales
   emily robertson
African Community Centre Wales promotes integration and cultural understanding through breaking down barriers within the community.

Emily is an inspirational person, whose innate desire to put vulnerable and displaced people first is exceptional. She dedicates an inordinate amount of time to volunteering, working with numerous organisations as well as the Community Centre.

Emily started her voluntary work while at university, where she organised demonstrations against the war in Iraq and injustices in Palestine as well as running events to raise money to battle social injustices. After completing her studies, Emily spent a year volunteering in Paris with migrant communities, HIV/AIDS centres for women and other social projects.

Her voluntary work developed back in Wales, and she is now the coordinator of the ‘I Can’ children and young people’s project, which aims to increase confidence and self esteem in African and Caribbean children. Since taking up her post, she has set up a mentoring programme, where successful people from all sections of the community are trained to serve as positive role models to young people at the centre. She has taken this scheme beyond the centre and worked with the Local Education Authority to set up the programme in over 15 schools in the area.

Emily also works with asylum seekers and refugees, and provides direct and one-to-one support to families in distress in Swansea to help ensure children are integrated and feel safe in their new communities.

Currently Emily is also helping to set up a new charity which helps fund education for children who were educated in Wales but have been deported since their families lost their asylum claims in the UK.

She has won awards for two of her projects that signify shared values in action and human rights. Most of all she encourages others to volunteer and be a part of the community centre and get involved.