A Dundee youth worker has spoken of her gratitude after she and a colleague scooped national awards.
Carie Burns has been manager of Xplore peer mentoring for five years. The organisation works with young people who need help to overcome a variety of emotional and social problems.
Staff at Xplore are celebrating after Carie picked up the full-time youth worker title at the National Youth Worker of the Year Awards and volunteer Nicole Borthwick won the peer educator prize.
Carie said: “This award means a lot to me because I love my job. I love working with the young people.
“I think the work Xplore does in Dundee is really important. The feedback we get from schools, social workers but, more importantly, from the parents, is fabulous.
“They really support the work we are involved in.”
The judges praised her “unswerving commitment and determination” to turn Xplore into a nationally-renowned and multi-award-winning project.
Peer mentoring projects match older youths with younger ones, who serve as role models and provide support.
The challenges facing those being mentored include problems with schoolwork, social issues such as pressure to drink or smoke, family problems or tension and other difficulties of growing up.
Nicole has spent more than 500 hours volunteering, using her experiences in overcoming difficulties in her own life to aid other young people.
She helps to run a drop-in group and supports service users in developing their travel skills.
Aileen Campbell, minister for children and young people, was among the 300 people who attended the award ceremony in Glasgow, organised by YouthLink Scotland.
She said: “Youth work plays a highly valuable role in improving the lives of our children and young people, and makes a significant contribution to our aim of making Scotland the best place in the world to grow up.
“In all that Government is doing to strengthen services for children and young people, we recognise and value those dedicated youth workers and volunteers who are helping our young people to be successful, confident, effective and responsible individuals.”