Celebrating Hope for the Young’s Annual Party 2024

“This was my first time working in a team in the UK.  I also find people management and organisation really fascinating, so when I had the opportunity to get involved, I was so excited.” 

I am Amtul and I am the HR and Admin Volunteer at Hope for the Young, alongside my studies and also being one of the young people working with my own mentor. I have recently completed an Undergraduate degree in Business Administration and am really excited to be pursuing a Masters in Human Resources, next year.  In preparation for this, I have been doing lots of volunteering, to gain experience and meet new people.  

For the second year running, Hope for the Young had set up a Youth Party Planning Committee, formed of young people from both programmes, who helped make the Annual Party a success. I was very excited to be part of the Decoration Committee, for Hope for the Young’s Annual Party 2024. Katie and Lois, from Hope for the Young who were helping organise the party, ensured that all the young people involved were able to have their say, and have an impact on its’ organisation. We had two meetings to present potential ideas, and got lots of feedback from the other volunteers, and then had lots of great zoom meetings and chats in our WhatsApp groups.  

For me, I really enjoyed working in a team and being involved in the background as one of the organisers.  In my own time, I really enjoy crocheting, and using my creativity, so being part of the Decoration Committee was great for me! I also learnt about teamwork, organisation and time management skills, which I will bring into my education. 

On Sunday 21st July, Hope for the Young held our Annual Party, at the Shoreditch Tab Centre. I got there really early and helped the Decoration Committee and the Hope for the Young team set up for the big day, before all the guests arrived. Two of my key tasks were to create the background for the photobooth, which was kindly run by Easy Party Photo Booth Hire In London | My Fun Photo Booth and to decorate the whole venue, to get it to look beautiful and very professional.  

“I found being part of the Committee very collaborative and I really felt like my voice was heard.” 

Guests started arriving at 11 am, and were greeted by a welcome speech by two young people, and then we got started with the activities of the day. Firstly, we did a quiz in teams, which was so much fun, led by the Quiz Committee, and then we went into the craft activity. This was my favourite part of the day, as it involved creating a fashionable hat in teams and then going on a fashion show. One member of each team got up on stage and did a catwalk, showing off their hat that they designed.  

At lunch time, we had a big Syrian meal provided by Imad’s Syrian Kitchen for the second year running, which had some great tasting food, like falafel and humous. It was so nice to see Imad Al Arnab, who is the owner of the restaurant, was joined by his family to prepare the food. We are so lucky to have him cater for the Annual Party and get the opportunity to taste his amazing food.

After lunch, there were some speeches and also all the young people got given certificates, for completing their short courses, enrolling in university or even securing incredible scholarships. Each member of the Party Planning Committee also got a certificate and a gift, which was really nice.  The team at Hope for the Young also did a special acknowledgement for the lovely mentors that work with us. It really showed that the organisation wants to celebrate and thank the mentors that work with us, which was nice to see.

After the certificates and speeches, a few young people played music from their cultures. For example, Nurbolot led a traditional dance from Kyrgyzstan for everyone, and it was so fun. Everybody really enjoyed dancing to the music. 

The day was a huge success, and everyone seemed to have a great time. We had 107 attendees, a mixture of young people, mentors, supporters and Hope for the Young alumni. 

“When I was in Pakistan, the game musical chairs is a big part of celebrations like birthdays, and adults and children all get involved. It’s so fun! I can’t wait to bring musical chairs to the Annual Party 2025, maybe I’ll even be on the Entertainment Committee.” 

At Hope for the Young, we are lucky to have such inspiring and committed young people, who are keen to get involved and be part of the Hope for the Young community. We know that the young people we work alongside are at the centre of what we do, and we want to provide every opportunity possible, to ensure that they have their voices heard and they have a say in how we operate as an organisation. 

We want to say a huge thank you to the Youth Planning Committee and everyone else who was involved in the organisation of the Annual Party 2024! We can’t wait for 2025. 

Hannah Greenwood

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