In October 2024, Jayce Joyce stood in the House of Lords.
He was six years old. He was the youngest recipient among 20 extraordinary young people being recognised that day. And he received the British Citizen Youth Award — the BCyA — which the award’s organisers describe as the youth equivalent of an MBE.
What the BCyA recognises
The British Citizen Youth Award is given to young people who have made an outstanding contribution to society — through leadership, creativity, community service, or achievement. Previous recipients have come from every background and every part of the country. What they share is a refusal to wait until they are older to make a difference.
Jayce was recognised for his work as an author, publisher, and literacy advocate. For the 1,000+ children he has inspired through storytime sessions, creative writing workshops, and school visits. For the books he has written and published from age 4. For founding Jayce’s World Publishing to amplify children’s voices. For the school kits delivered to children in Cameroon and Uganda. For being, in the words of his local MP Andrew Mitchell, someone whose “creativity and dedication to inclusivity in children’s learning never fail to impress.”
What happened on the day
Jayce was among 20 young people honoured at the ceremony. His family, supporters, and the Jayce’s World team were with him. The BCyA is worn as a physical badge — a medal — and Jayce wore it with the quiet pride of someone who knows exactly what he has done to earn it.
He was six. He was the youngest.
What Andrew Mitchell MP said
Andrew Mitchell MP, who represents Sutton Coldfield, has followed Jayce’s journey closely. He wrote: “I have met with Jayce on numerous occasions, and his creativity and dedication to inclusivity in children’s learning never fail to impress me. Having published three books and even being recognised with a Medal of Honour, Jayce continues to inspire me, and I look forward to supporting him throughout his literary journey.”
The BCyA sits alongside Jayce’s other awards — the Blue Peter Gold Badge, the International Book of Records title, the TruLittle Hero Award, the Potential Unlocked Young Author of the Year — as evidence of what one child, given the space to be extraordinary, can do.
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