THE Archbishop of York has praised headteachers and youth councils for encouraging young people to become a positive force in their own communities.

Dr John Sentamu was speaking to secondary school heads and students at a conference organised by his youth trust about the Young Leaders' Award scheme which currently has more than 22,000 young people in North England working on citizenship and volunteering skills.

“I’m always glad to hear of the work that schools are doing to help young people to grow in both heart and mind," he said.

"Often education can be viewed as just about the academic, but it is so much more than that! These Young Leaders who are completing the Award are putting Lent into practise, living out this season by their words and actions. They are amazing”.

Simon Barber Head teacher at Holy Trinity, Barnsley said: “We have found our students have grown massively in confidence and leadership by completing the Young Leaders Award. They have learned how to fundraise, time-management skills, the importance of volunteering and how this makes a difference in the local community. They take with them enhanced interpersonal skills that will help them throughout adult life”.