Youth Steering Group
Impact stories: Israa
Name: Israa
Age joined the Youth Steering Group: 19
Home Region: London
Israa joined the FEA Youth Steering Group in 2023, aged 19. During her time as a member of the Youth Steering Group, Israa has attended the APPG for Children Event, been an FEA Summit Volunteer, and joined the Mental Health Coalition Meeting. She also gave her Maiden Speech in the House of Lords, calling for mental health reform in schools.
Why did you join the Youth Steering Group (YSG)?
I felt like my experiences with education were quite negative. Towards the end of secondary school, I had a lot going on - I was dealing with grief, and just felt there were a lot of barriers in place that put me off education. I didn't end up going to college and went into an apprenticeship instead. Then I saw Mama's post on LinkedIn saying, 'Would you like to change or have your say in how education goes?'. And I found that quite interesting, because I had a lot of things I wanted to say. I wanted to have the ability to change things so that the experience that I had, other students don't have to go through.
One of the things I wanted to have an impact on was mental health support inside schools, because a lot of people, especially those who had school during COVID, felt isolated coming back. People I know who had suffered with loss during the COVID-19 pandemic came back into school as a different person, and I felt that teachers weren't equipped with the knowledge on how to support young people, especially with the pressure of the NHS and mental health services after COVID happened. People weren't getting the support they needed.
How have you found being on the Youth Steering Group overall?
I found it quite positive and proactive. I didn't have that link back into traditional education since starting an apprenticeship, although I still had a lot of the same thoughts as other YSG members that things needed to be changed. And I found that being part of the FEA gave me an opportunity to join proactive conversations with decision makers and have my say. I had my voice heard when it had been dismissed countless times previously.
If you had to pick one thing that's been a highlight of your time on the youth steering group, what would it be?
I would say interviewing Coco Khan. I suffered with anxiety, and was not the person who'd put their hand up and speak, and I struggled speaking in front of large groups of people, but I was so proud of myself to be able to do that.
And I feel like that ricocheted, and since then I've been more open and been able to talk in front of other people, so that I would have my voice heard. It's not only impacted my life in the FEA, but also at work and just in general. I feel like I was very much an extrovert pre-COVID, and I'm finally seeing myself become an extrovert again, which is such a happy, happy thing.
What do you think has been the Youth Steering Group’s most impactful activity?
I would say the Youth Summit, after hearing a lot of young people express how that affected them and how they believe that they've had proactive conversations. We brought together decision makers and young people, and some of the young people who attended that event hadn't ever spoken to a decision maker before. They were having their voices heard and having real-life conversations with them, as well as building connections with other young people who have the same views.
What skills do you feel like you've developed during your time on the Youth Steering Group?
Networking and public speaking were probably the two main ones. I would say I've developed research skills too. When we're looking into an event we're attending, and it's about a specific topic, we would go back and research stats and make sure to get our facts right. So then you can come into a conversation and have all those tools to engage with decision makers, and then bring out why your point is valid, and then back it up. So I guess that's one thing, and then networking, being able to talk and mingle with other people, and building connections.
Our Youth Steering Group provides leadership on youth engagement across the Fair Education Alliance. Members are involved in the work across the Alliance, from collective action and policy influencing, to communications, events and support for our award winners.