Youth volunteer Julie up for prestigious award

Julie Reddan, a student at Borrisokane Community College, has been recognised as one of 20 exceptional young people from across Ireland who have been chosen as some of the country’s most outstanding youth volunteers, working to make a positive impact on their local communities.
A Sixth Year student at Borrisokane Community College, Julie volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Romania for a week and worked in local towns and villages building houses for those in need. Every year, Julie volunteers with Team Hope and works in their warehouse sorting the pre-filled shoeboxes making sure those less fortunate have the essentials they need to survive and live a normal life. Julie also fundraised and skydived, raising €1,500 for Youth Suicide Prevention Ireland.
Struggling with her mental health and being diagnosed with depression over four years ago, Julie found that helping others and volunteering gave her a sense of self-worth and happiness. Helping others is in Julie’s nature as she selflessly takes care of her mum who suffers from MS for the past 13 years.
The top 20 local students were revealed as Pramerica announced its top 20 finalists for the 2020 Spirit of Community Awards, the only all-Ireland youth initiative of its kind that rewards post-primary students for their exemplary acts of volunteerism.
Passionate about a range of topics including homelessness, mental health, disabled rights, climate change, animal cruelty plus many more, the 20 finalists will gather for this year’s awards which will take place at Titanic, Belfast on Tuesday, March 31st. Each finalist will receive an impressive €500 to donate to their preferred charity and are in the running to win a once in a lifetime trip across the globe to Washington, DC.
The programme, which is run in partnership with the National Association of Principals & Deputy Principals (NAPD) and the General Teaching Council for Northern Ireland (GTCNI), is one of Ireland’s largest youth recognition programmes, this year’s awards received a remarkable 250 applications from across Ireland. 
Naomi Hegarty, Vice President, Risk Management, Pramerica Systems Ireland is overwhelmed with the selfless work being carried out by young people across Ireland.
“Year upon year I continue to be humbled by the incredible volunteer work carried out by young people in towns and villages across Ireland. The 20 finalists selected as part of this year’s awards programme are proudly taking a stand for what they believe in and actively empowering others to do the same. Our awards programme celebrates these passionate and dedicated young people and aims to give them the recognition and voice they truly deserve.
 “At Pramerica we are committed to supporting youth volunteers and understand that even the smallest of contributions can make a big difference to those who are in need and vulnerable. In sacrificing their spare time to give back to their community, these young people are showing that they genuinely care, and we want to make sure that their selfless good deeds don’t go unnoticed. We cannot wait to welcome all of the chosen finalists to the awards ceremony in Titanic, Belfast on March 31st this year.”