I am Gemma, 18 years old, and I am based in North Yorkshire. I am doing psychology at university, and my favourite series on Netflix is the Big Bang Theory. I am currently enjoying university life and recently became a member of the Youth Advisory Board for Bright Green Future; this is a group of alumni which helps to shape what the BGF experience looks like.
While scrolling through Instagram, I saw an advert for Bright Green Future, which was one of the 31 sub-projects of Our Bright Future. The Instagram algorithm was right; this was the perfect program; after reading the information on their website, I was sold and started working on my application. I got accepted into the program in mid-September 2020; little did I know this was the start of a journey.
My favourite parts of Bright Green Future were creating my local project, which involved creating educational resources about the environment and regional group mentor meetings.
As members of the Bright Green Future Program, we got the chance to apply to be part of the Our Bright Future Youth Forum; I decided to give it a go and became a member of the Youth Forum in December 2020.
The initial sessions with the Youth Forum were particularly meaningful. I was online learning in January 2021 due to the lockdown, and they provided an escape from the news and schoolwork. Over the following months, I got involved in the weekly sessions with the Youth Forum; this was a wonderful space to talk to even more like-minded people and increase my confidence.
The activities were so varied; I loved participating in the online water conference with the Environment Agency, highlighting the importance of water management and helping to create sessions for new coming Youth Forum members. We did leadership training with Uprising; this was the first time I ever considered the idea of leadership. I also received some mentoring, where one of my fellow Youth Forum members training to be a mentor gave me tips on writing a CV and cover letter. Later that month, I got my very first job.
Through Our Bright Future, I gained a Level 2 Qualification in the Principles of Youth Work, which I found very interesting. This qualification opened my eyes to a different type of job; I learnt the essential role of youth workers in young people’s development and the community. Furthermore, I was given the opportunity to participate in a Roundtable with the DCMS Cabinet Minister to discuss the UK’s Youth Work Guarantee and youth services provisions. In the meeting, I felt the power a group of empowered young people can have when given the opportunity to talk to decision-makers.
After taking part in the Roundtable and finishing the coursework for Level 2, I took a step back from the Youth Forum to focus on my incoming A-Level exams. In the summer of 2022, I got an email about participating in a Campaign Group which would attend the Political Party Conferences later that year. Just two years back, I wouldn’t have even considered the idea, but now I jumped at the opportunity. I went to the Labour Party Conference in October 2022 and even got the chance to help with a Q and A session with an MP.
It’s hard to describe how much Our Bright Future has impacted me with the opportunities and support it has given me. I always knew I was passionate about the environment, and Our Bright Future nurtured and helped me grow that passion into something bigger. I learnt about the power of youth advocacy and youth voice, which you must experience to understand. It is that empowering feeling so many other young people out there care about the environment and social issues. While it’s sad that the Our Bright Future program is coming to an end, I hope that its legacy opens up the space for new programs to support young people and the environment
