Silver Surfers tutor Luke Jenkins has been shortlisted for a South Wales Evening Post Pride Award – Community Champion. The award ceremony takes place this Friday!
Article from South Wales Evening Post, Wednesday 9th March 2011
Teen mentor’s a class act
NOT many youngsters would give up their spare time to go back to school and mentor others.
But 17-year-old Luke Jenkins, of Mayfield Street, Port Talbot, does just that.
He plays an active role in weekly Silver Surfers sessions at Glan Afan Comprehensive School – a group that offers senior citizens a chance to learn new computer skills and teaches them how to navigate the internet.
He was nominated by Elizabeth Jenkins, of Gordon Crescent, Sandfields, who described him as a hardworking and determined individual.
She said “Luke is setting an excellent example to other young people in the community.
“He should win the award because of all the hard work and his determination to make the group a success.”
Luke has been involved in the group since it started in 2007 and has helped it grow.
The class has even won numerous awards for its work, thanks to Luke and his band of volunteers.
During the sessions, the Silver Surfers are taught how to use a mouse and keyboard, how to write letters, create greetings cards, send emails, find old friends on Facebook, shop on the web, read the news, and gain confidence in using the computer alone.
Last year Silver Surfers celebrated striking gold after it was awarded a £1,468 National Lottery grant.
“Luke helped us gain money from the Big Lottery Fund, which was used to purchase new equipment for the group,” Mrs Jenkins said.
“Although now a student at Neath College, Luke comes back to the school every week to overlook the sessions. He is the course co-ordinator and prepares lesson plans and keeps the website up to date.”
The free clases attract an average of 20 senior citizens every week and are run by pupil mentors who give up their time to pass on their computer skills.
In December, Luke was crowned the Llandarcy Harvester’s ring Out The Best Award winner – a search to find inspirational people in the community.
The teenager also helps to raise money for various charities throughout the year with the Silver Surfers group by holding various fundraising events.
UPDATE: Luke narrowly missed out on the Evening Post Pride Award for the ‘Community Champion’ category.
Owen Thomas, a tutor at Glan Afan Silver Surfers has scooped the BT Internet Ranger of the Year Award for Wales. Owen, 13, joined the group last year, and has helped during the weekly sessions that are co-ordinated by past pupil Luke Jenkins. This isn’t the first time a tutor from the group has won the award, however! In 2007 Joseph Devries, also a past pupil, won the BT Internet Ranger of the Year National Award, beating off tough competition from the rest of the UK! Owen was presented with his certificate on Friday 11th February from Ann Beynon, BT Director Wales.
ITV Wales News came along, and filmed this news report:
A PORT TALBOT teenager has been rewarded for making a difference in the community.
Luke Jenkins, who set up the Silver Surfers class at Glan Afan Comprehensive School, has been crowned the Llandarcy Harvester’s Bring Out The Best Award winner.
The 17-year-old was put forward by Elizabeth Jenkins after the manager appealed for nominations from local people.
Paula Davies, manager of the Llandarcy Harvester, said: “We’re delighted to be able to reward Luke, who is truly an unsung hero in our community. We decided to launch our Bring Out The Best Awards to find inspirational people, and Luke certainly fits the bill.”
Luke, who attends Neath College, said: “I knew I had been nominated but I didn’t expect to win. I was really pleased.”
One of Glan Afan Silver Surfers’ tutors – Luke Jenkins was nominated for a Local Hero Community Award. Luke was presented with his award at a prestigious ceremony in the Dragon Hotel, Swansea. Luke’s award came as a result of his volunteer work with Glan Afan’s Silver Surfers group that he has given so much of his time towards over the last four years. Congratulations must go to Luke and all the other pupils who give up their time to make the Silver Surfer sessions so successful. Photographs Here
The article below is taken from the Neath Port Talbot CVS website:
Luke Jenkins, 16, from Port Talbot has deservedly won a local heroes award 2010 for his contribution to the community. Luke has been known to all at Neath Port Talbot CVS for a number of years, thanks to the hundreds of hours Luke has dedicated to volunteering.
To start with Luke has been an active member of the Youth Opportunities Bank panel from the very beginning, assisting in the development of the application process, its publicity, making decisions over who receives grants and recently creating a new website. Luke has also utilised his computer skills by creating the website for Serenity Neath Port Talbot, a free counselling and emotional support service. Meanwhile Luke successfully completed a work placement over the summer of 2009 in Neath Port Talbot CVS Volunteer Centre. Luke enjoyed the experience so much and produced a very high standard of work that both parties wished for Luke to stay on for an extra few weeks in a voluntary capacity. His commitment to volunteering doesn’t stop there however as Luke regularly volunteers with Silver Surfers, a group to assist the elderly with their computer skills, for which he received a WCVA volunteers award last year and he volunteered for a long period in the Hideout.
Just in case he thought he didn’t have enough to do, Luke is also very active within his school, where his conscientious nature has assisted him in becoming a school prefect. Luke has also sat on the school council for two years to ensure pupils’ voices are taken into account when decisions are made in the school. As a way of sharing news within the school Luke assisted in the development of their pupil voice website and more recently has been sitting on interview panels when new teachers are being recruited.
Neath Port Talbot CVS would like to take this opportunity to thank Luke for all his hard work for CVS and congratulate him on receiving this deserved award. We have no doubt this will drive Luke on to continue volunteering in many areas of the community and continue to make a massive difference.
