Andover teenager wins national award for community work
15-year-old Dmitrijs Meiksans represents north-west Hampshire in the youth parliament
A teenager from Andover has won a national award for his community work during the coronaviris pandemic.
15-year-old Dmitrijs Meiksans represents Basingstoke and Andover in the youth parliament and has received a 'Diana Award' - an honour was set up in memory of the late Princess Diana.
Amongst those offering their congratulations is Hampshire County Council.
Councillor Roz Chadd, the County Council’s Executive Lead Member for Children’s Services, said:
“All our Youth Parliament members are fantastic, but Dmitrijs has particularly impressed me with his self-motivation, maturity and passion to give others a voice. His anti-bullying stance and his leadership from the early stages of the pandemic are an absolute credit to him. It is entirely fitting that Dmitrijs should receive such an honour. All of us involved with the Youth Parliament are immensely proud. Be sure to remember the name Dmitrijs Meiksans – I think we’ll be hearing a lot from him in future!”
As well as charity work and representing his peers as the Member of Youth Parliament for North West Hampshire, last year Dmitrijs received funding to conduct a survey that reached over 900 young people and discussed how young people could be kept safe during the pandemic. He presented his findings to MPs and councillors and works to ensure that young people are at the heart of conversations that involve them.
Dmitrijs said:
“It is an indescribable honour to have received this award and recognition, the late Princess embodied, and still continues to through her legacy, the message that young people are the future, a message that I greatly admire.”
Hampshire Youth Parliament is currently seeking new members to fill roles across the county. Young people aged 11 to 18 who want to make a difference and campaign on issues that are important to them are invited to apply.
Contact vicky.hall@hampshireyp.org.uk to find out more.