A lesson from the kids

Sarah and a Ginger team of volunteers took out the morning of Saturday 27th to inspire a group of young campaigners for the Equality & Human Rights Commission. What we didn't expect was to leave feeling so inspired ourselves...

It's always a great privilege to be invited to train a group of motivated young people. In comparison to the sterling and long-term graft teachers and parents commit themselves to, we are often gifted with the 'headliner' role of coming in, saying something inspirational, dancing around a bit (sometimes literally) and then leaving again with the warm feeling of having done something good for the world.

Take Saturday morning at Project 1000 - a group of young people brought together by the Equality & Human Rights Commission. We were invited to train the group on public speaking to help them 'up' their impact as activists. I led a bit of fun theory from the front and the team of volunteers worked with small groups to practice their presentations and get feedback on their technique. To see so many young people give better performances than my adult clients was a heart warming experience. And they loved it. Debates ranged from tuition fees to full body scanners, many of them packing into their 2 minute speeches arguments that would give our MPs a firm run for their money.

But whatever excitement and inspiration we helped create, it was my team and I who left feeling inspired. With so much apathy and 'easy' entertainments distracting British youth culture away from their communities and into facebook, twitter, PS3s (and blogs...?), it was exciting to see so many fresh and ambitious faces giving up their Saturday morning for a wider cause.

With young people like this supporting equality and human rights, I only feel positive and secure about the future of my country. The question is, how can we encourage more people to take a critical look to the world around them and talk up about the things that aren't right? This is a lesson that starts with youth and ends on the doorstep of each and every adult in the country, especially with a general election looming...