Locals will be able to start nominating outstanding young people for the City of Ballarat Youth Awards when the event is launched tomorrow.

The Awards will be officially launched by Mayor Craig Fletcher at Grind My Bean tomorrow at 4pm and aim to give the community an opportunity to recognise and celebrate our city’s young people who volunteer and contribute to the City.

Mayor Craig Fletcher said the approximately 20,000 12-25 year olds call Ballarat home and the awards were a great way to recognise their work in the community.

‘Academic and sporting achievements are often recognised through schools and sporting clubs but a lot of work done by our young people in their communities can go unnoticed’.

‘The awards give us the chance to hone in on this work and congratulate our young people, hopefully encouraging others to follow in their footsteps’.

This year Youth Services has introduced City of Ballarat Youth Awards Ambassadors to be the face of the awards.

The Ambassadors are Drew Petrie, North Melbourne Football player, previous community member and young person of Ballarat and Pheobie Morrison, 2009 City of Ballarat Youth Volunteer Award Winner.

Both will speak at the launch and at the Awards Ceremony to be held on Friday 14 October.

Awards will be presented in 14 categories. In 2010, over 120 nominations were received.

To pick up a nomination form, call City of Ballarat Youth Services on 5320 5168 or nominate online via www.ballarat.vic.gov.au