Future Forum:
Facilitating collaboration on youth priorities within the environmental movement.
The idea for the forum came from two of SOS-UK's youth representatives who are now the acting chairs of the forum, Jodie Bailey-Ho and Jamie Burrell. It was their ambition that the Future Forum would bring together youth representatives from every leading climate and wildlife charity in the UK to discuss how the sector can better engage and empower young people.
Charities who join the initiative nominate two young people from their youth boards in England to sit on the Forum. We also have places for young people from other parts of GSR, so we can elevate their voices. The Forum convenes, supports and mentors the young people, helping them organise themselves into formidable project groups, ensuring they are fully prepared for the meetings with the CEOs. The Forum will also offer a level of informal scrutiny and advice on the activities delivered in our other workstreams.
The Forum has recently had its first sitting, with 18 amazing young people meeting to facilitate collaboration on youth priorities within the environmental movement.
We are accepting new members - if you are a charity youth representative or staff member and would like to find out more, email futureforum@sos-uk.org.
Jodie Bailey-Ho
Future Forum Co-Chair, jodie.bailey-ho@sos-uk.org
Young environmental volunteers and campaigners often feel their voices are not being heard or they cannot facilitate change. Similarly, a lot of the work involving these young people takes place in siloes without being joined up. This is what the Future Forum aims to change - creating a unified and amplified youth voice actively listened to by senior leaders across the movement. The Forum is a place for young people across organisations in the environmental movement to come together to voice the priorities of young environmental activists, form strong connections and lead sector-wide collaboration.
Jamie Burrell
Future Forum Co-Chair, jamie.burrell@sos-uk.org
The Future Forum is a collection of organisations across the youth and environment sector working together to strengthen youth leadership of the sector. Each organisation joins with their CEO and two youth representatives and there are three meetings a year where the young people have the opportunity to pitch their ideas for new campaigns to the CEOs. CEOs can also use the group of young people as a sounding board to seek meaningful input on their own ideas for future work.
Ultimately, the Future Forum aims to set up a more collaborative approach to decision making, with the best chance of creating real and lasting positive change.
Senior Project Manager:
Michelle Hemmingfield - michelle.hemmingfield@sos-uk.org