From climate change protests to calls for racial equality, youth campaigners around the world have shown their incredible power in calling for change and demanding a better future for themselves and the youth of tomorrow. Campaign Champions at Send My Friend to School, the UK’s coalition fighting for education for all children across the globe, are one such group of youth campaigners who are standing up and calling for quality, free and inclusive education for all children, everywhere. 

Three Campaign Champions from Croxley Danes School – Robbie (16), Amaya (14) and Rebecca (14) – share with us their motivations for becoming campaigners and their advice for other young people who want to become advocates for the causes they care about! By championing causes like quality education for all, they are proving that age is no barrier to making a significant impact. 

On International Youth Day, we celebrate the incredible power and passion of youth campaigners, for creating a more just and sustainable world. Youth campaigners are not only the future leaders but also the current torchbearers of advocacy, bringing fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and unwavering energy to the forefront of global campaigns.

Robbie (16)

Robbie 1
Robbie (back, far left) attending the Youth Education Council pictured with Alicia Herbertson (then Special Envoy on Girls’ Education), a youth advisory board with members from Global Partnership for Education, Plan International UK & World Vision. Image: Global Partnership for Education, 2024.

How long have you been campaigning? 

I have been campaigning for two and a half years. I first got started in advocacy work at the grassroots level, this was where I would join clubs put on by the school such as the environment group. This would involve advocating to groups such as our local council about environmental issues. This work then led me to discover Send My Friend where I became a Campaign Champion for them in 2022.

What have you learnt during this time?

I have learnt many, many things during my time as a campaigner, particularly as a campaigner representing Send My Friend, but I would argue that the most important thing that I have learnt is to just be yourself. When you’re campaigning it is so incredibly easy to become a different version of yourself but when you be yourself, you speak like you normally would, you don’t over exaggerate. Then you make things a lot easier for yourself. 

Why do you feel it is important to engage your local MP on issues that are important to you?

If you don’t engage your local MP on issues that are important to you then it means your voice isn’t getting heard. Your MP was voted to advocate for issues on your behalf. If you don’t talk to them about local issues, then what are they there for?

Amaya (14)

Rebecca And Amaya With Alicia Herbert And Vicky Ford
Amaya (left) and Rebecca (right) with Alicia Herbert and Vicky Ford at the APPG for Education’s 2023 parliamentary event. Image: Send my Friend to School, 2023.

What first got you started in advocacy work?

I’ve been campaigning for a little less than a year now I’d say. I first started with the policy and poetry workshop for Send My Friend to school where visitors came in and talked about education in emergencies, solutions and how we can get our voices heard. In this session, we created our own poems and artwork to do with a certain case study and we were able to show it to our local MP, Gagan Mohindra.

Is there any campaigner tha you look up to?

I’d say Malala Yousafzai, as she was the only person who was willing to speak up when the people, especially girls, in her country were in a vulnerable place and she did so beautifully. She really inspired me as well as many other young girls across the globe to not be afraid to speak up when there’s something wrong happening.

What advice would you have for anyone wanting to get into campaigning?

Familiarise yourself with your campaign so you know what you’re advocating about and to also be yourself, as at certain times, you may feel down and feel like you’re not getting anywhere but by pushing through and persevering through the rough times does make a difference. Also, don’t feel like you have to start big – you could do something at school and build your way up. Also, most importantly, keep your passion going and have fun!

Rebecca (14)

Rebecca And Amaya Reading Poems
Rebecca (left) and Amaya (right) sharing their Poetry through Policy poems in Parliament, capturing the urgent nature of ensuring education in emergencies.  Image: Send my Friend to School, 2023.

What inspired you to become a campaigner?

I have been campaigning for a little less than one year now. It all started with the poetry workshop and policy report for Send My Friend to School, where visitors came into the school and talked about education in emergencies. Also, we expressed our opinions and ways other children around the world can express their opinions and be heard. We then created our own pieces of artwork along with poems. We showcased this in front of our local MP Gagan Mohindra. 

Why do you feel it is important to engage  your local MP on issues that are important to you?

In my opinion it is more important to engage local MPs because we can engage with so many other things than [just] a policy report: we can make artwork, posters and poems. We need to have good leaders in the future considering we are the future generation. Rather than waiting and watching our economy fall apart we can voice our opinion and make it clear what we want for our future and the generation after us.

What advice would you have for anyone wanting to get into campaigning?

When campaigning, you need passion and emotion. Don’t get into a campaign if you are unsure and don’t think you will put all the passion and effort that is needed. Also, make sure you have done your research and know what the campaign is about. Even through all the rough times when you feel like you have achieved nothing, all big things take time so don’t beat yourself up.

Send My Friend to School is a UK civil society coalition hosted by Results UK. We host organisations whose missions align with our own to collectively make a greater impact on ending poverty.