#iWill Power Of Youth Festival: What You Said

Include this article in your Skills Builder Journal. It could help you develop...    

In November, we hosted a live video panel as part of the iWill Power of Youth Festival. The interactive digital festival had a load of different events to show how #iWill is transforming the way young people are viewed by society, and championing the positive role they play within it.

Our panel was all about how young people are driving meaningful change, and we spoke with a few NCS Grads and #iWill ambassadors about their social action and how they’re making positive change within their communities. Here’s what they had to say:

What does meaningful change mean to you and how have you helped make positive change?

“To me, meaningful change is when us young people work together to raise our voices on issues that are affecting us. It’s when we decide to take action and be heard to create a positive change in our societies and have a positive impact on the lives of others around us. I have been able to create positive change thanks to amazing organisations such as the #iWill campaign, Manchester Youth Council and Debate Mate. These organisations equipped me with the skills and confidence to go out there and be heard. As a Youth Council member, I have been able to campaign on issues affecting young people including voting at 16, knife crime and curriculum for life.” - Shahid

How can young people and organisations work together to drive meaningful change?

“Young people absolutely want to make change happen. They’re full of exciting and innovative new ideas and they’re all looking for something to do with them. Organisations need to develop a kind of ‘unique selling point’ to incentivise young people to get involved in social action. Organisations could take an angle similar to NCS where you offer young people a unique experience away from home and the opportunity to make friends. They could try and encourage young people to express themselves artistically through their programmes, or turn things like beach cleaning and leaflet drops into a competition. If you engage young people then they will be more than happy engaging with social action.” - Alex

Why is social action important and what is the role that young people and organisations can play during and post-COVID?

“Social action is important because it allows young people to see the positive impact they are able to produce and it gives them awareness of what they are truly capable of (great things!) Without this, the character defining moments we all have in life can often become meaningless. If we can't understand the importance of our growth and self development, we will never be able to help others see the same potential in them that we see within ourselves. ” - Shakeel

How was your experience on the panel?

“Being on the panel was a great experience! I got the chance to meet some amazing individuals and it was interesting to hear what they thought about the importance of social action and how we could get more young people involved. I liked the engagement of the viewers who had some interesting questions! Overall, it was an amazing experience. Thanks NCS for giving me the opportunity to raise my voice and be involved!” - Shahid

“Sitting on the panel was fantastic, everyone brought their own experiences to the table, and helped shape an idea of the kind of actions - big and small - that young people can take to build communities back up after covid.” - Alex

What does social action mean to you, and how are you driving meaningful change in your community? Let us know over at @NCS!