My Unexpected Journey into Youth Social Action, by Bill

Bill, 15, is a dedicated activist and #iwill Ambassador from Manchester. Here he shares his unexpected journey into youth social action; from starting petitions to hosting panels, Bill’s story highlights the incredible opportunities and experiences available through the #iwill Movement. Discover how you can make a difference and become an #iwill Ambassador today. Apply now and unleash your potential to create positive change in your community and beyond!

I got into youth social action by accident! It started four years ago, when my school introduced a new policy that many people, including myself, didn’t agree with. I found it hard to sit back and ‘go with the flow’, so I decided to start a petition. The petition got the majority of the pupils’ signatures on, and my social action stemmed from there.

Not long after, I joined a local youth council, and a few months down the line the UK Youth Parliament elections came up. I thought I’d give it a go, since I happened to be in the right situation to put my name forward. 

Whether it was my speech or policies, thousands of young people around Trafford, Manchester voted, and I became the Member of Youth Parliament for Trafford (MYP). Honestly, I was so surprised I was elected, being so new to it!

In this role, I attended dozens of conferences, worked on council policies, and made an abundance of speeches, including one in the House of Commons on the importance of education. 

After my term ended as the MYP, I decided not to run again, because there were so many other experienced young people in the cabinet that wanted the role too. Although, this left me a bit stranded, and I wondered what I could do next. 

I continued to work with more good causes and charities that align with my view of a fair and equal society, and a month later, I became and #iwill Ambassador.

Working with the #iwill Movement has been one of the most rewarding and insightful activities I’ve done. Collaborating with senior Government Ministers and other influential policy makers, I have gained invaluable experience. 

Highlights include attending the Conservative Party Conference, and talking to MPs, Government Minister, and others. I even hosted a panel and released UK Youth’s policy about outdoor learning. On the panel we had MPs and experts. Whilst I was there, #iwill gave me the opportunity to interview many politicians for the radio show I present on. These people included James Cleverly, Nigel Farage, and Mims Davies. As well as this, I interviewed multiple journalists including Robert Peston (ITV News), Andrew Marr (LBC), and Sam Coates (Sky News). 

The day at the conference was jam-packed, it was surreal. I remember a few noticeable things from that day. Walking into the conference hall I saw Priti Patel, the former Home Secretary, talking to LBC, so from the get-go I knew I was in for a politically entertaining day, filled with youth social action. 

Later on in the day, I was just minding my own business, as you do, when all of a sudden Nigel Farage was standing in front of me with a whole camera crew. He said something along the lines of “As a Tory, what do you think of the conference?”. Not being a member of any political party, I told him: “I’m here on behalf of the youth charity #iwill, can I tell you a bit about them?”. He left quite abruptly, but later in the day, I was able to interview him for a few minutes though for my radio show. 

As well as this, I have been fortunate enough to work with #iwill on a number of events. For example, I hosted #iwill week where guests from across the youth sector came to celebrate the importance of youth social action.

Having said all this, it is more than just going to different events. This week alone I have been reading and shortlisting new #iwill ambassador applications, attended meetings to see how we can enhance our movement, and working on different projects like the Future Forum!

Our movement is united by a shared belief that all children and young people should be supported and empowered to make a positive difference on the issues that affect their lives, their communities, and broader society. #iwill is empowering, challenging, independent, collaborative and inclusive – it belongs to everybody.

Applications are open now to be an #iwill ambassador and it is more fun than you can ever imagine. It isn’t a case of what you can do for the #iwill movement, but what the #iwill movement can do for you