Big Change Internship Alumni and
LIS Student
At Big Change, young people’s voices drive everything we do. Zhahla, a student at The London Interdisciplinary School, is one of these inspiring young people who recently worked alongside us to bridge generations and help build a future where all young people can thrive. In this blog, she reflects on the connections she built, the experiences that deepened her understanding of the social impact sector, and how Big Change’s mission inspired her:
Hi! I’m Zhahla, and last summer, I had the brilliant opportunity to intern with Big Change!
Why Big Change?
Why not? I am studying for a degree in interdisciplinary problems and methods at a new university, the London Interdisciplinary School. It has allowed me to study complex problems through the lens of many different disciplines, providing me with a transformative educational experience so far.
More importantly, I love Big Change’s mission. As someone who has always been passionate about young people and education. I know how it can change people’s lives when it meets young people’s needs. I am also care-experienced, and my positive experiences in education helped me develop a love for learning and school.
What have been the highlights of this internship?
Where to begin? I loved getting to know the team at Big Change and their motivations for supporting every young person to thrive and developing their intergenerational collaboration. Toward the end of my internship, I collected everyone’s thoughts on something they had learned from someone of a different generation, and it was lovely to hear a range of responses to this question (ranging from lessons from their grandparents, from their children to inspiring experiences teaching in the classroom)!
Attending conferences and events within the education sector was an eye-opening and enriching experience. I feel that many young people are not aware of the opportunities available to them within the social impact sector at their age. The Fair Education Summit was a highlight for me. It was amazing to be in a room full of so many people passionate about education and young people. A young person at the event was given a standing ovation by the audience after a moving spoken word poetry piece. It filled me with hope for the future.
The events I was able to attend and the research I was able to conduct made the importance of intergenerational collaboration in our sector clear. In the words of the WAFF (We Are Family Foundation): ‘Problems that span generations should span leadership too.’
“Young people need to feel like they are being listened to. Their time should be valued. Their concerns and thoughts should be acted on.”
Why do we need to collaborate across generations more?
We were all once children and may remember or have experienced a time when we felt we had or lacked agency in our lives. Young people need to feel like they are being listened to. Their time should be valued. Their concerns and thoughts should be acted on.
Some may view this as costly or time-wasting, but I would say that by listening and engaging meaningfully with young people, we can engage with our younger selves. It is a beautifully radical and perhaps liberating act in a world that may feel hostile and apathetic as we turn to value the thoughts of those of a different age than us. Intergenerational collaboration allows us to challenge current ideas or structures within our society and expressed most simply, it lets us serve those at the receiving end of our system, rather than assume their needs.
Intergenerational collaboration is worth everyone’s time. I’m grateful to have had the chance to explore this firsthand, and I’m excited to carry these lessons forward into the future.