Touch of Love Outreach (TOL), based in Aberdeen, is celebrating multiple national recognitions as its founder, Jane Akadiri, has been shortlisted for the Inspirational Leader Award at the 2025 National Youth Work Awards, hosted by YouthLink Scotland.
This prestigious honor recognizes Jane’s exceptional leadership and TOL’s powerful impact on young people, families, and minority ethnic communities across Aberdeen and beyond.
TOL’s journey began in March 2020, when a local Torry resident approached Jane, asking simply for bread and a can of milk. That small but urgent request sparked the creation of the TOL Food Bank, initially run from Jane’s home during the pandemic.
Since its inception, the TOL Food Bank has distributed over 40,000 food parcels and 25,000 warm meals, providing vital food security to more than 35,000 individuals, including 12,000 children - with 10,000 individuals supported each year.
Recognising deeper needs beyond food insecurity, Jane founded the TOL Young Achievers Club in 2022. Today, the club welcomes over 450 minority ethnic young people and New Scots (ages 5 - 21) annually, offering confidence-building workshops, football activities, cultural dance and language sessions, cooking classes, youth mentoring, and well-being programmes - helping young people celebrate their identities, develop leadership skills, and connect with their wider community.
Jane Akadiri
Beyond youth and food initiatives, TOL provides holistic support to families, including mum & baby/toddler sessions, mental health resilience activities, and early years integration programmes - assisting over 300 minority ethnic mothers to overcome social isolation and thrive within Scottish society.
TOL’s impact has been recognised with multiple national honors:
- Certificate of Commendation at the Black Scottish Awards 2024 for outstanding service to African New Scots.
- Finalist at the 2025 National Youth Work Awards - Inspirational Leader (Jane Akadiri).
- Finalist at the 2025 National Youth Work Awards - Community Youth Work (TOL Young Achievers Club).
- Finalist at the 2024 National Youth Work Awards - Equality & Diversity Category (TOL Young Achievers Club).
- Nominee for the 2025 Charity of the Year Award (under £100k turnover).
- Nominee for the 2025 King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) - the UK’s highest honors for voluntary groups.
- Jane Akadiri to be awarded an Honorary Doctoral Degree from Robert Gordon University in July 2025, recognising her extraordinary contributions to community integration, youth empowerment, and voluntary service.
Reflecting on the recognition, Jane says: “Seeing a young person light up when they realise their own potential keeps me going. This nomination shows we’re on the right track - but there’s so much more to do.”
The winners of the National Youth Work Awards will be announced on 11 June 2025 at the Hilton DoubleTree, Glasgow.