This category recognises community rail’s vital role in engaging, inspiring and empowering children and young people (under 26) with their railways, from travel confidence and educational schemes to youth-led volunteering and creative projects. We are especially keen to see projects that promote sustainable travel, life skills, inclusion, and wellbeing, and which draw on children and young people’s views and ideas.

We invite entries from community rail partnerships, station adoption or friends’ groups, or other community groups and representatives. Rail industry partners can submit entries where a project was undertaken in partnership with a community rail partnership or community group, but the entry must clearly demonstrate this partnership working, be agreed with the community partner(s), and their contact details provided.

• Clear demonstrable evidence of the impact of the project is essential
• Empowering and awareness raising – it successfully shared knowledge, opportunities and/or awareness, for example about rail travel, local history, culture or environment;
• Improving mobility, confidence or life skills – there was a positive impact on children’s, young people’s or families’ ability, understanding, perception of and confidence to access rail, use sustainable travel, or other life skills;
• Engaging, enjoyable and beneficial – there is evidence it was well-received and those involved saw benefits to mobility, inclusion, health, wellbeing, confidence or awareness;
• Interactive and drew on children/young people’s input – it enabled interaction with and between young members of the community, drawing on their ideas and views, or was youth-led.

'Involving Children and Young People' is sponsored by LNER.

2025 1st Place Winner - Robin Hood Line CRP for 'Fusion Learning'

‘Fusion Learning’, a partnership project between Robin Hood Line CRP, Bolsover District Council, Engineered Learning, East Midlands Railway, Direct Education Business Partnership, Community Rail Network and CrossCountry, provided a group of young people with not only practical experience and a recognised qualification, but also a supportive environment in which to harness their creativity, nurture their aspirations and boost their confidence.

12 students aged 14-16, previously at risk of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training), were given the opportunity to learn fabrication and welding in an authentic workshop environment, gaining knowledge and transferrable skills to take with them as they move on to work, apprenticeships or further education. Over the course of 24 sessions at Engineered Learning, the students worked together to design and produce prototypes of their chosen design – a woolly mammoth – before creating the final, large-scale metal sculpture. The new landmark now sits proudly at Creswell Station.

All 12 students completed the course and earnt a Level 1 NCFE Award in Industry-Specific Engineering Skills, as well as going on to complete their academic studies at school. Several students have since embarked upon apprenticeships, with one even joining the Royal Engineers. The project has also been extended for another year to continue providing vital education opportunities for young people.

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Check out previous 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners of this category from 2017-2022.

The submission window for our 2026 Awards will be open from Monday 1 September - Tuesday 30 September 2025.

Check back then for the link to submit your entry!