When we set out to plan our Level Up practitioner conference for small, equity-led organisations, our aim was to connect people, provide opportunities for sharing and learning and to create space for honest conversations and for real stories. And that’s exactly what happened.
From the very first panel, it was clear: young people want more than support—they want to be seen. Our Youth Panel reflected that we need to look at young people holistically—not just through the lens of their challenges, but through the lens of their skills, talents, and whole selves. This was echoed by a later panel from the Listening Project, which presented Authoring Our Own Stories—a youth voice project exploring civic identities. Young people from diverse social groups and UK regions led research and used multimedia to express how they define themselves and how services can better reflect and respond to their identities.
One of our Youth Panellists, Sameera, shared with us that true engagement, the kind that lasts, only happens when we give young people autonomy. She reminded us that as youth workers, we have the privilege and responsibility of being some of the strongest advocates in a young person’s life.
We also heard reflections on Global Majority Leadership, and in particular how we can encourage young people to find routes into youth work, to train, learn and grow their confidence and leadership skills while drawing on every part of their identity and experience and seeking out mentors to guide them. Too often, young people doubt themselves. Systems haven’t made space for them, and the youth work sector – underfunded and overlooked – hasn’t always offered a clear path.
This served as a reminder that we need to do more to celebrate this amazing profession that not enough people get to see or experience. We need people with lived experience in these roles. For young people from the Global Majority to become leaders, we need to become their allies. We need to allow them to bring their passions, skills and multiple identities to every space. Authenticity matters here too.
The warmth and encouragement in the room was undeniable. We were reminded to tell young people to “keep going, even if you feel out of your depth.” We need more safe spaces, more opportunities, more voices at the table.
And then there is the story of our Helping Hands programme – how a fractured community came together. The key? Authentic relationships, trust, showing up. We heard that “it doesn’t matter what a person’s story is or where they came from. What I care about is the story going forward.” That ethos – meeting people where they are and walking with them – is what makes our work transformative.
In a session on creating videos and storytelling, we were reminded: don’t try to copy what others are doing. Be the voice of your organisation. Show what makes it special. People don’t connect with polish — they connect with truth.
So as we look ahead to the next year of the Level Up Programme, we carry one message forward: Lived experience and authenticity are superpowers.
Let’s lead with it. Let’s build with it. Let’s keep creating spaces where young people—and youth workers—can show up and shine as their full selves.
