A YOUTH WORKER from Teesside has been selected as a finalist in a prestigious national awards ceremony.

Donna Harding, from Middlesbrough, was nominated by the local community for the Youth Worker Award 2012 and will attend a glitzy ceremony in London this week.

Activities officer Ms Harding has been a youth worker in the voluntary and community sector for ten years and has spent much of her time working to support families and young people in the Teesside area.

She said being nominated for the award, which commends outstanding commitment to the support of young people within the community, felt amazing.

She added: “I love my job and I love young people and I am very passionate about helping young people to dream, believe and achieve. Being recognised for the hard work and dedication you put into your work is really heart warming.

"From the outside a lot of people see the fun side of being a young worker - going on trips, having fun with young people, singing and dancing etc but that is the glossy side.

"Not everyone gets to see the reality of being a youth worker - the sleepless nights worrying about a young person who confided in you at youth club last night about something terrible going on at home, the abuse you take when a young person is angry and upset, the amount of hours spent trying to help young people overcome their problems, being strong for a young person when they break down when you just want to cry for them too.”

For further information on the Youth Worker Award visit: nya.org.uk/youth-work-week-2012