In a previous article for Sussex Bylines, I wrote about my personal experience as a student participant of the educational simulation activity Model United Nations (MUN). What I got from that activity was a lot of valuable skills that helped me become more suited for leadership responsibilities as a young person. In this article, I want to build on that and make a broader case for young people in Sussex getting more involved with such opportunities as a whole, and explain how they can use those opportunities to become capable young leaders themselves.
Instead of making the case for these opportunities as a whole, I’ve divided them into two categories. Under each category, I will make the case for that specific kind of opportunity, list some examples, explain what skills they develop within young people (and how), and generally argue for their usefulness. In this way, I hope I can make it clear how imperative it is that young people seize these opportunities.
Civic engagement activities
When I speak of “civic engagement activities”, what I’m referring to are activities such as MUN, UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) and European Youth Parliament UK (EYPUK). It may not surprise you that some adults, and indeed some young people, view activities like these with disdain, operating under the (not always unjustified) perception that the young people who participate in them are career politician wannabes and pretentious high-achievers.
But as someone who has participated in some of these activities, and met some people who fit the pejorative description above when taking part, I want to make an argument for why these activities are important and helpful.
The biggest selling point of these activities, and something that other volunteering opportunities may not always offer, is an opportunity to really engage with politics and current affairs, both domestic and global.
This may seem tedious, given the sorry state of politics and the world right now, but if you as a young person want to become capable of putting the world back onto the right track, you’ll need an excellent understanding of the world as it is right now to identify what’s gone wrong and what needs fixing.
Activities like MUN, UKYP and EYPUK, where researching and problem-solving are integral components and skills actively developed by participants, offer a direct way for you to gain and polish those skills.
Additionally, you won’t be alone in these activities, and must work with other participants, allowing you to come into contact with different perspectives, thought processes and problem-solving methods, as well as developing your ability to work collaboratively and be part of constructive discussions.
All of these skills are hotly valued by employers and professionals alike in today’s job market, so you’d be giving yourself an advantage in that regard through taking part in these activities as well.
Community action opportunities
Another excellent kind of opportunity that can foster youth leadership is community action.
What I’m specifically talking about are activities that put you in touch with other members of your local community. This can be helping to organise a local event, volunteering at the local food bank, taking part in a local campaign or demonstration, perhaps even door-knocking for a local candidate standing for elected office.
What matters is that as a volunteer, you have the chance to reach out to others in your community, learn how to forge and maintain connections, understand the needs, hopes and concerns of others, and get a better understanding of your local community as a whole.
The benefit of this kind of opportunity is that as a young person you’re able to acquire hands-on experience of creating change and delivering good outcomes at the lowest, but also most accessible level: your local area. As ordinary people we may often be attracted by the appeal of change-making at the highest levels: national governments, global institutions, etc., and overlook the small, incremental but beneficial and effective changes that happens at regional and local levels.
Taking part in activities that give you a greater awareness of your local community is an excellent way to develop your leadership and change-making skills at a lower level, and build your capabilities for future endeavours at higher levels (e.g. elected office).
Get stuck in!
Thankfully, with the advent of the internet, these opportunities are more accessible than ever to young people everywhere, including in Sussex. Those interested in MUN can and should discuss with their school the prospect of running MUN as an activity, as well as sending teams to participate in MUN conferences run by local schools.
Similarly, young people wishing to participate in EYPUK can be part of a team representing their school at a regional EYPUK competition, and work their way up from there. Young people can also participate in UKYP by standing as a candidate in one of its 391 constituencies. And as for community action opportunities, there is an abundance of websites where young people can explore such opportunities:
- Community volunteering for West Sussex County Council
- East Sussex County Council
- Volunteer search websites—Tribe, Vinspired, Volunteering Matters, etc.
It is my hope that this article will provide young people throughout Sussex with the rationale, motivation and means to participate in these opportunities that will enrich their lives with a wealth of skills, experience and connections.
These are the things they can use to become young leaders capable of bringing change to places as small as local communities and as big as the entire world!
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