sPONSORS

Who’s behind the YAYAs?

The YAYAs are organised by QED Foundation, a registered charity, founded in 1990 by Dr Mohammed Ali, to improve the social and economic position of disadvantaged communities in partnership with public, private and civil society organisations.

The awards were launched to mark the 30th anniversary of QED in 2020 and since then have been an annual event.

It is supported by its headline partner, York St John University, major partner Bradford 2025. and a host of sponsors, supporters and donors. They all share the common goal of helping Yorkshire’s successful young South Asian people to attain the recognition they deserve for their achievements and their contribution to their communities, their towns and cities, their county and beyond.

You can find out more about QED, York St John University and Bradford 2025 below and by clicking on the links to their respective websites.

The QED Foundation

This year, 2025, is a very special moment in the history of QED Foundation as we celebrate our 35th anniversary.

We believe that people of every race and faith should be able to fulfil their potential. Our aim is to help to build a peaceful and cohesive society where everyone can contribute and be rewarded for their efforts.

We do this by supporting ethnic minorities to find jobs and progress in their careers. QED Foundation delivers education, training and employment services to disadvantaged communities at neighbourhood level. We enable them to achieve better health outcomes and play a more active role in wider society.

But we also support government and public sector organisations, businesses and charities across the UK to tackle inequality. We use our first-hand experience of working at grass-roots level to advise key decision makers. And we promote a positive image of Britain’s minority communities and celebrate their successes.

Working together we can put ethnic minority issues at the heart of public policy and open up opportunities for everyone.

York St John University

At York St John University, we have been changing lives through education since 1841. The importance of access to education for all individuals is something that we strive towards.

We offer a variety of inspiring undergraduate and postgraduate courses, many of which include placement and study abroad opportunities. Our focus is to provide you with a personalised learning experience so that you can reach your potential. You can develop in a welcoming and supportive environment and become part of a close-knit community. Our students love the sense of community they feel on campus.

We are proud of our heritage and proud to contribute to the history of York. Our 11-acre campus is located close to the city centre and overlooks the York City Walls. Our students can easily go and explore everything York has to offer. Across the city, there are buildings that originate at various points across the past 2,000 years. We are no different. Our university campus is a place where modern buildings meet Victorian architecture.

We are proud to be inclusive and take pride in our social and culturally diverse community. We work to enrich our wider community by tackling inequality, promoting fairness, and challenging prejudice.

To support this ethos, we offer a Contextual offer scheme. The scheme considers academic potential, life experience and factors that might not usually contribute to university admission. Everybody has lived a different life, and we celebrate that. This is why we have introduced the scheme. We also offer financial scholarships to further support our students.

We think it is important for people to understand how we make our offers at York St John, because our approach is a little different. The offer scheme we use was designed after listening to feedback and completing a variety of research with our current students and those who might want to join us in future. The scheme has had a positive impact on lives as over two thirds of our students come from underrepresented backgrounds in UK Higher Education.

We also demonstrate our commitment to equality through being the headline partner and proud sponsorship of the Yorkshire Asian Young Achievers awards (YAYA). The YAYA Awards offer an opportunity to celebrate the excellent accomplishments of all nominees. We want to recognise the achievements of our young Asian population and to inspire them to keep pushing boundaries.

BRADFORD 2025

Bradford District was selected by the UK Government in May 2022 from a record-breaking 20 bids, following Derry~Londonderry (2013), Hull (2017) and Coventry (2021) to take on one of the most prestigious and transformative titles in UK culture.

Bradford 2025 is taking place throughout Bradford District, which covers 141 square miles across West Yorkshire. It features performances, exhibitions, events and activities inspired by the extraordinary variety of this landscape, from the city’s historic centre to the breathtaking countryside that surrounds it. It pays homage to Bradford’s potent heritage as everything from a former industrial powerhouse to the world’s first UNESCO City of Film. Most of all, it celebrates the people of Bradford, from local artists and creative organisations to the diverse communities who call Bradford home.

Bradford 2025 is created for, with and by the people of Bradford – and it has young people at its heart. With more than a quarter of its population aged under 20, Bradford is one of the UK’s youngest cities. Bradford 2025 is proudly reflecting this youth across all aspects of its programme, from education, skills and training projects to new artistic commissions centred on the lives, concerns and ambitions of young people today.

Bradford 2025 is spotlighting Bradford’s dynamic contemporary arts and culture, from dance and theatre to film, music and even food. At the same time, it is cementing Bradford’s reputation as one of the most welcoming places in the UK for artists, producers and creative entrepreneurs, with international exchanges, development programmes and new cultural investment benefiting the entire district.
The impact of UK City of Culture will continue long after the end of 2025. The district’s designation has already brought significant investment to the region, and Bradford 2025 is set to serve as a catalyst for development, regeneration and change – reshaping Bradford for the benefit of future generations.

Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture is supported using public investment from HM Government, Bradford Metropolitan District Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and through National Lottery funding from Arts Council England, National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Lottery Community Fund, Spirit of 2012 as well as private investment and donations from a number of trusts, foundations and corporate sponsors.