Young People Orchestrating a Wave of Positive Change

Over the past 18 months I have been fortunate to witness and play a part in young people orchestrating a wave of positive change in the trade union, Labour and left wing movements globally. Young activists not afraid to turn bold and progressive ideas into action.

Young people for too long have been trapped in precarious employment, low wages, ever increasing rent, ever rising living costs, higher education costs and politics that failed to represent our generation. It’s this perfect storm, alongside organisations such as The CWU & Labour proactively adapting to change, that has seen Young People rise up, be radical and offer viable solutions to issues that once seemed impossible.

Make no mistake about it. Young People aren’t here just to take part, we are here to take over when the time comes.

CWU Young Workers up and down the UK are natural public speakers, creative organisers and innovative campaigners. But it all stems from having the right mind-set and a fighting Union. Young Workers in the CWU are constantly looking for the next campaign, the next picket line and the next opportunity to support a cause.

From the CWU’s National Young Workers Committee to Frontline Reps, a meeting is no longer just a meeting; it’s an opportunity to do something. It’s opportunity to raise money for charity, an opportunity collect food for a foodbank or start a grassroots campaign.

A conference is no longer about the same speakers and same rhetoric. It’s now a masterclass in Young Workers shaping policy, changing mindsets and occasionally, for good measure, overturning the top table’s decisions.

South East Labour Party Conference in Southampton showed just that. Young Labour Activists and Brighton CLP coming together to get a Trans motion back on the agenda by protesting. By doing so they gained the respect of the floor, got the motion reinstated and got it carried with an overwhelming majority…!!!

Another prime example of young activists ready to take over can even be found just over The Irish Sea, in the “Take Back The City Campaign – Dublin”. Young Activists tired of Austerity, tired of rogue landlords and outraged at the homeless crisis came together for change.

So what did they do? They said if a building is empty, it’ll be occupied. Huge buildings often owned by the state, left idle and empty while homelessness in Dublin skyrockets with people dying on the streets. But the activist’s occupied buildings, provided shelter to the homeless, challenged the government and put the homeless crisis to the top of the national agenda in Ireland. – Comrades you have my full Solidarity.

Young People are trail blazers and future leaders. Organisations that are willing to invest in the education and training of young people will see innovation flourish, become more secure for whatever the future brings and that future will be bright.

Thanks for reading.

In the spirit of this blog, print off the poster, take a picture with it and share the photo to Social Media with the Hashtag #YoungWorkersMonth #TheCWU