Igniting Passion, Building Purpose: NextGeneleaders Welcome Event
130 young people from ten Yorkshire schools came together in October for the NextGenLeaders Welcome Event — and left with the spark to lead real change in their communities.
At NextGenLeaders, we believe in turning up — and in passion driving progress.
Our mission is to give young people the skills, confidence, and agency to take action on the issues that matter most to them — whether that’s sustainability, street violence, or inclusion.
Turning Ideas into Action
From the moment students arrived, curiosity filled the room. Within minutes, they were debating how they’d change the world — from ending homelessness to tackling loneliness.
My idea of turning sea plastic into burgers didn’t quite stack up, and our new Changemakers were quick to tell me so — but their ideas were brilliant (and far more realistic): recycling uniforms into blankets for shelters, creating safe spaces to tackle knife crime, and designing school gardens for wellbeing.
It was a reminder that young people don’t lack ambition; they just need the space to act on it.
Through teamwork and communication challenges — including the infamous spaghetti tower and the “which bird are you?” exercise (I’m definitely a parrot) — they explored what strong leadership looks like: listening, adapting, trusting, and staying calm when things get tricky.
As one student put it: “We learned that you can’t build something strong without working together.”
Real Stories, Real Inspiration
The highlight of the day was a talk from Zeezy Izenman, founder and CEO of Motion — and a former Enactus student leader.
His story — from volunteering in Leeds care homes to running a healthtech company improving the lives of 3,000 residents — showed what’s possible when passion meets purpose.
Student feedback said it all:
“I was so inspired by Zeezy’s story.”
“He showed me how to start something small and make it matter.”
Zeezy’s message was simple: leadership isn’t about age or status. It’s about courage and action.
You could feel the shift in the room — students leaning forward, taking it in, already imagining what their own impact might look like.
The Power of Partnership
This event wasn’t just about the students.
It was also about the incredible staff leads and mentors — teachers, careers advisers, and chaplains — who make this all possible.
Each school received a NextGenLeaders Certificate, recognising their commitment to nurturing agency and leadership.
Our young people are the leaders of tomorrow, but it’s these adults who create the space for them to explore, to question, and to grow. They’re the ones flying the flag for the next generation of responsible leaders.
We also shared our new Project Books, which students will use to plan and track their social action projects over the year.
Partnerships with schools, communities, and organisations like York St John University and BDO make this work possible. Together, we’re creating environments where young people can test ideas, make mistakes, and keep going — vital ingredients for leadership.
Outcomes and Takeaways
By the end of the day:
130 young people had built confidence in teamwork and communication.
Every school committed to supporting a student-led community project linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Students left believing that their ideas could create real change.
The impact is already clear: NextGenLeaders doesn’t just build skills. It builds agency.
Looking Ahead
Over the next six months, these students will design and deliver projects tackling issues that matter to them — from environmental action to youth wellbeing.
We can’t wait to see what they achieve.
Because when young people are trusted to lead, they don’t just prepare for the future —
they shape it.
