Twelve finalists
to compete for
UK and Ireland
Young Thinker title

The seventh annual final of the Young UK and Ireland Programme will bring together 12 finalists from an original entry of 179 in the 2009-10 season. The finalists are:

Kris Anderson, Dignity in Dying; Paul Gallagher, Scottish Book Trust; Emma Grant, London Borough of Hillingdon; Amy Harrison, Fairtrade Foundation; Nick Henderson, Youth End Poverty Dundee; Samantha Hill, Home Office; Helen Longworth, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award; Owen O'Brien, West Midlands Police; Niall O'Loughlin, Newcastle University; Neelaksh Sadhoo, National Physical Laboratory; Jessica Walker, Scottish Water; Louise Wilson, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Ireland)

Each of the 12 will deliver a 900-word paper on a subject of current interest or controversy of their own choice. The final will be staged at Lancaster in late February.
     

Who will succeed East Sussex as Young Local Authority
of the Year?

Last year's winners

Almost 40 entries have been received for the 2010 Young Local Authority of the Year, a prestigious team competition for staff working in local government throughout the UK.
     Each two-member team delivers a six-minute paper on an issue of current interest or controversy and goes On The Spot for an impromptu three-minute presentation.
     Last year's winners, East Sussex County Council, will be defending their title and will be joined by teams representing local authorities as far afield as Aberdeenshire and Devon.
     The 2010 event, the fifth in the series, will be held in Lancaster in March.

Booking now open
for Public Sector Programme and Universities event

The first bookings have arrived for the 2010 Young Public Sector Programme, at Lancaster in May.
     The event is open to government departments, public bodies, executive agencies and the NHS. Anyone in the early stages of his or her career is eligible to take part.
     A new event, the UK Universities Young Thinker of the Year competition, is being staged at Lancaster in June. It will bring together academic staff working in university departments across the country.

Updated on 8 February 2010