Joshua Savieti, the co-founder of ICON Creative Tonga in Nuku'alofa received the Commonwealth Youth Worker of the Year for the Pacific Award in London on November 10.

He was one of five outstanding youth workers recognised in the 2016 Commonwealth Youth Worker Awards presented by Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland at the Commonwealth Secretariat’s headquarters, Marlborough House.

The awards this year celebrated those using sport and creative arts to inspire and support young people.

ICON Creative Tonga uses dance and music to engage disaffected youth and promote the development of their leadership and artistic skills.

Joshua said to get the call and be recognised, as a youth worker was a massive deal for him.

“I know it’s given the youth leaders I’ve been working with a sense of purpose, because looking through their eyes we don’t get recognised for a lot of the work we do. To get a little bit of recognition means the world to us. It gives us that passion and drive to continue forward.”

Empowered

Meanwhile, Britain’s Robin Lockhart, the founder of a social enterprise Catalyst in Communities, which supports at-risk teenagers and young adults through music and sports was named Commonwealth Youth Worker of the Year for Europe and Commonwealth Youth Worker of the Year.

Regional awards were awarded to Joshua for the Pacific region, and to Eric Nehemiah of Kenya for Africa. Eric is the co-founder of Mathare Foundation, which has supported over 100 young people in Kenyan slums to channel their talents through providing training in photography and art.

Commonwealth Youth Worker of the Year for Asia went to Suleman Arshad of Pakistan, the founder and president of Pakistan Para Climbing Club, the first club of its kind in that country. As a visually impaired athlete, Suleman works to promote inclusive sports empowerment program.

Manuela Lue of Belize, the director of Energy for Life program received the Commonwealth Youth Worker of the Year for the Caribbean and Americas. His program mentors and tutors under-privileged Belizean youth in handicraft production, connecting them with their culture and enabling them to earn a living.

The Commonwealth's Secretary-General saluted the hugely impressive recipients of these 2016 Commonwealth Youth Worker Awards.

“They represent thousands of youth workers across the Commonwealth whose work to empower and engage our young people too often goes unsung and unrecognised. It is of immense and enduring value in building resilient communities and overcoming the economic and social divisions that create vulnerability-locally, national and globally.”

The awards were announced during Youth Work Week 2016, held from November 7-13.