Youth awards for succeeding against all odds

The achievements of two young Londoners who overcame severe hardship to become model citizens have been recognised with prestigious awards.

Luke Boyland, 17, from Wandsworth, was named young ambassador of the year at The Prince's Trust and L'Oréal Paris Celebrate Success Awards at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium last night.

His prize, which is backed by the Evening Standard, was presented by our chief feature writer David Cohen.

Georgia Hardiem, also from Wandsworth, won the breakthrough award, given for overcoming barriers to gain new skills.

Luke's life was turned around by the Fairbridge youth support programme, part of The Prince's Trust. He now gives talks for Fairbridge, but just three years ago he was a school dropout, after his mother died from cancer. Realising his life was out of control, he joined Fairbridge and got a place on the young ambassador programme. Today, he is learning brick-laying and is a volunteer youth worker three nights a week.

He said: "It has been a difficult few years but I am proud of how far I've come. I'm enjoying college and feeling confident about my future."

Georgia, 20, was homeless at 11 and lived secretly for three years in the hostel where her sister was staying, finally receiving housing support at 14.

She left school with few qualifications. Jobless at 17, she was referred to The Prince's Trust by the Centrepoint homelessness charity and joined the get into construction course. The only female on her team, she proved such a good worker she was offered jobs by two firms involved in the course.