Inaaya, Redbridge Youth MP, writes about the Youth Awards 2026 which celebrated young people's achievements
Published: 23 September 2026
Inaaya, Youth MP for Redbridge writes, "On Wednesday 9th September, I had the incredible opportunity to host Redbridge’s second Youth Academic Achievement Awards (YAAA) ceremony, bringing together young people, schools, families and staff from across the borough to celebrate the achievements of Redbridge’s young people.
When I was elected as Member of Youth Parliament for Redbridge earlier this year, I set myself three main manifesto pledges. One of those pledges was to ensure that young people across the borough were recognised for their achievements, leadership and hard work.
The YAAA was an opportunity to turn that pledge into reality.
I wanted this year’s ceremony to be bigger, more inclusive and to recognise the many different ways in which young people contribute to their schools and communities. While academic achievement is incredibly important, I believe that leadership, community involvement and the positive impact young people have around them deserve recognition too.
That is why, this year, I introduced a brand new "Community and Leadership Award", celebrating young people who demonstrate outstanding leadership and make a meaningful contribution to their communities.
On the evening, we welcomed over half the secondary schools and around 400 attendees to celebrate the incredible achievements of young people across Redbridge. We were also incredibly fortunate to be joined by Claire Hamilton, Chief Executive of Redbridge, David Phelps, Executive Director of Children’s Services, and the Mayor of Redbridge.
The evening was filled with award presentations, speeches and fantastic live musical performances. For me, one of the most rewarding parts was seeing so many young people being celebrated in front of their friends, families, teachers and peers.
The response following the ceremony was incredibly special. I had schools, youth service staff and the Head of Service personally reach out to me to share their feedback about the evening. Knowing that the event had made a difference to the young people who attended made all the planning and preparation completely worthwhile.
Hosting the YAAA was also a huge reminder of why youth voice matters. As a young person myself, I know how important it is to not only have a voice, but to have opportunities to turn ideas into action. I am incredibly proud that a pledge I made when standing for election has now become an event that celebrates hundreds of young people across our borough.
A huge thank you to Redbridge Youth Council and the Redbridge Youth Service workers for helping me turn this idea into reality. Thank you also to all of the schools, staff, families, special guests and, of course, our fantastic musicians who made the evening so memorable.
Most importantly, congratulations to every young person who was nominated, shortlisted and recognised. Your achievements, leadership and hard work deserve to be celebrated, and I am so proud that we were able to create an evening dedicated to doing exactly that."
