Action Mental Health’s Inspirational Young Person of the Year 2018 Katie Graden Spence has been selected as a finalist in a prestigious category of the Pramerica Spirt of Community Awards.
The awards programme recognises and rewards secondary school age children for volunteering work in their communities and this year Katie, from Newtownards is among 20 finalists in the list of Ireland’s Top Youth Volunteers.
The Glenlola Collegiate School pupil last year came to prominence after walking 297 miles for suicide awareness – a mile for every person lost to suicide in 2017, raising £1000 for Action Mental Health in the process.
She also devised plans to establish student led mental health and well-being committee for every school in Northern Ireland.
The 18 year old even outlined her proposals before to the Department of Education and the All Party Group on Mental Health.
Katie said her short-listing for the award ‘raises awareness on how young people have the power to change the world’.
Katie will attend the awards ceremony next month, which will take place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
