Even before the pandemic, young people in the UK faced many forms of inequality. For many of them, their health and wellbeing has been negatively affected by a lack of jobs, a shortage of affordable housing, and cuts to public services. As the gap between the generations grows and young people’s voices and concerns are not adequately taken into account by policy-makers and politicians, it is no surprise that young people increasingly feel anxious about what the future holds.
This event brought together three young leaders who are working in and beyond their local communities to address inequalities in education, housing, employment and the criminal justice system.
The three panellists, Jason Allen, Jeremiah Emmanuel,and Michaela Rafferty, drew on their ongoing work and shared their experiences in dialogue with one another and the audience. They considered the consequences of inequalities on young people’s lives and their wellbeing, and discussed what can be done to tackle those inequalities.
Panelist
Michaela Rafferty
Michaela Rafferty is an Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity and a youth worker and activist. She currently works as a Youth Engagement and Campaigns Organiser at Just for Kids Law. In her work, she engages with young people who have been excluded from mainstream education to enable them to become social action leaders in transforming the use of school exclusions and advocating for a more inclusive education system.
Panelist
Jason Allen
Jason Allen works in the treatment of trauma in young people. He is recognised as a national expert in gang and youth violence in London and currently runs Mary’s, a hub for counselling, mentoring and gang mediation in Camden, which he built from its inception in 2006. His professional training is wide-ranging, and he is currently completing a Master’s in psychology and trauma.
Panelist
Jeremiah Emmanuel
Jeremiah Emmanuel (@je1bc) was raised in a single-parent family in South London and started working in his local community from a young age, campaigning on issues affecting his generation. He was elected to the UK Youth Parliament and later became a Young Mayor in London, and set up a Youth Council for the BBC. Dreaming in a Nightmare, his new book, is a manifesto for ways to tackle inequality in the UK and improve the lives of young people.
Chair
Professor Armine Ishkanian
Armine Ishkanian is the Executive Director of the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity programme and Professor in the Department of Social Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her research examines the relationship between civil society, democracy, development, and social transformation.
Banner Image: Getty Images
