PRESS RELEASE: Futureversity CEO picks top 5 to win Britain's Kindest Kid

PRESS RELEASE

FUTUREVERSITY CEO PICKS TOP 5 TO WIN BRITAIN'S KINDEST KID

Futureversity Chief Executive, Sarah Davies, has had her work cut out on the judging panel to find Britain’s Kindest Kid 2011. The national TV competition, which recognises the extraordinary achievements of 5-16 year olds who have shown real kindness to others or given up their time for a good cause, has been inundated with applications.

Sarah and fellow judges, Matt Barbet and Emma Crosby from Five News, John Low, Chief Executive of the Charities Aid Foundation, and Derek Twine, Chief Executive of the Scout’s Association, have now chosen their top five finalists, who have been announced by the competition organisers Five News and Charities Aid Foundation. The finalists will have their stories told on 5 News from Monday, 7 November, after which viewers will be able to vote for the person they think is ‘Britain’s Kindest Kid’. The lucky winner will receive £1,000 pocket money and £1,000 to give to charity.

Sarah was asked to be on the judging panel because of her 16 years’ experience of working with young people, 14 of which have been at Futureversity. The youth charity works with businesses and professionals to provide hundreds of free courses and opportunities for 11-25 year olds to help them develop their skills and confidence and prepare them for the world of work. The latest statistics from Futureversity show that 61 per cent of the unemployed young people who enrol on its Job Ready programme are in employment or training within six months of completing the programme.

Sarah said: ‘It was very humbling to be on the judging panel for Britain’s Kindest Kid, and choosing the finalists out of the incredible calibre of applicants was almost impossible! There are so many truly kind young people out there and reading their stories for this competition has made me even more determined that all of our youth should be encouraged and invested in. We must pool our resources to help them fulfil their potential.’