A CHARITY leader has paid tribute to her colleagues in the third sector after receiving an accolade for her outstanding work in helping young people.

Chief executive of online charity YouthNet Fiona Dawe has won the Charity Times 2010 Outstanding Individual Achievement Award.

The magazine’s awards recognise and reward excellence in the management and running of charity activities.

YouthNet runs the websites TheSite.org and Lifetracks.com to provide advice to young people and also on ways of volunteering at Do-it.org.uk.

Ms Dawe, of Farnaby Road, Shortlands, said: “It’s a huge honour to receive this award, which is also an opportunity to celebrate the fantastic work done in the charity sector.

“There are many thousands of wonderful people who go unrecognised and I’m incredibly fortunate to have people who make a point of not only appreciating my efforts, but also championing YouthNet’s work.”

Ms Dawe, aged 56, has also been shortlisted for the top 11 of The Alternative Rich List, which rather than wealth, judges people by the difference they have made to others through their life experiences.

Three winners will be announced on September 24.

The mum-of-two, who initially got involved with charity work after cutting short a career in marketing almost 30 years ago, said: “If I have any talent, it’s probably working with and through others.

“I wouldn’t be where I am now without Martyn Lewis, our chairman and founder, the whole team at YouthNet - trustees, staff and volunteers, our partners and funders, not to mention my supportive family.”