Meet Shamza: The youngest recipient of the 2024 King's Birthday Honours
At just 20 years old, Shamza Butt, an NCS Youth Voice Forum alumni and former NCS experience goer, has become the youngest recipient in the King’s Birthday Honours this year, and has been awarded a British Empire Medal. Incredible!
So what’s Shamza’s story?
3 min read
A tale of two cities
When Shamza was 16 years old, she moved from a small town in Northern Italy to Bradford in the UK with her family. Back then, she couldn’t speak any English, but was optimistic about the move as she “wanted to learn the language and make some friends”.
And how did she do that? She went on NCS, of course!
“I immediately recognised the opportunity as a no-brainer! I joined NCS for a summer and it is the best thing I ever did” said Shamza, “My confidence boosted up and I have met so many people, including friends for life, and done so many remarkable things. It’s had a profoundly positive impact on my life.”
A little help goes a long way
It was through her NCS experience that Shamza fell in love with volunteering. She took part in social action projects within her community, and says that became “a big motivator for me wanting to help people.”
After her experience, Shamza also became part of the NCS Youth Voice Forum. This was an integral group of young people who work closely with us, to help influence conversations and decisions, and make sure we are held accountable and continue to listen to the voices of the young people.
So y’know super important stuff…and great experience for Shamza and the other members of the board to see how everything works! (We’ll actually be recruiting new members to our new and improved Youth Advisory Board in a couple of months time, you can find out more here 👀)
Shamza’s amazing work within the Youth Voice Forum and her voluntary actions are part and parcel of why we nominated her for the King’s Birthday Honours. She said, “When the headed letter from Buckingham Palace came through the post, I couldn’t have felt more honoured! This recognition is incredibly humbling and has filled me with immense pride for all I have achieved…Now, I look forward to building on this achievement, embracing new challenges, and continuing to work even harder to make a positive impact.”
Taking it to the streets
And now, Shamza’s love of helping people has led her to her current career, as a police officer.
“Because of my work in the community and my time on NCS” says Shamza, “I wanted to get involved in public services. After two years of applications and exams, I finally achieved my dream job as a police officer. I want to say a massive thank you to NCS, who encouraged me not to give up. I can’t wait to see how my journey goes.”
Neither can we! We are immensely proud of what Shamza has achieved, and it just shows that doing something out of your comfort zone, going somewhere you don’t know, or doing things on your own, can lead to brilliant, life changing opportunities!
As for Shamza, she’s got some final words of wisdom for other young people out there who want to make a difference in the world:
“Dream big, never give up, and work hard. Remember, no goal is too ambitious if you are willing to put in the effort and perseverance required. Embrace challenges, learn from failures, and stay committed to your vision. The journey might be tough, but with determination and dedication, you can achieve extraordinary things. Believe in yourself, stay focused, and always strive for excellence.”
And you never know, maybe that can all start for you on an NCS experience. Want to see how they can help you achieve your dreams? Check out our different life-changing experiences here.
