12th July 2024 Inspire US – Meet the finalists

It’s a busy time in world of politics – our UK election has made headlines, so too did France as they took to the polls last week. But the election taking the most interest and column inches around the world is undoubtedly the US Presidential Election, coming in November. And the winners of The Talent Foundry’s Inspire US 2024 programme will have a once in a lifetime trip to America to watch it first-hand.

The Inspire US programme has given students in Year 12/S5-6 the opportunity to launch their own local campaign for a social action cause. Students were treated to workshops and masterclasses with expert speakers across three months to show them how to launch their projects and spread awareness.

The top 10 teams have been invited to present their campaign to a professional panel of judges in London at today's Finalist Forum. The four winning teams will head to Washington DC to take part in ‘Campaign College,’ meeting experts and prominent speakers in US politics.

We are incredibly proud of all the teams that have taken part in the Inspire US programme. In total, there were 73 teams, comprising 221 students across 38 schools.

Ahead of today's Finalist Forum in London, let’s meet some of the finalists.

Breathe Easy – Bhawanveer, Diyan, Reuel, Yusuf

Lampton School, London

Breathe Easy is an anti-vaping campaign focused on educating young people about the risks of vaping, and enabling schools to develop their own effective anti-vaping strategy. Breathe Easy has already led assemblies reaching over 1000+ students, encouraged safeguarding leaders in Hounslow to both take the problem seriously and develop effective responses. The key to Breathe Easy's success is that it is a student led campaign - they understand the peer and commercial influences that lead to vaping, and so are better able to deliver effective anti-vaping strategies to students and schools.

"Through the programme we've gained a lot more confidence in engaging with large audiences to get our message across and learned how to use social media to network to further our cause."

“We have most enjoyed working as a team, and getting out there to spread the message, and proving that young people can lead change.”

Close the Divide – Abdilatif, Hanna, Keisha, Zoe

Preston Manor Sixth Form, London

Close The Divide is a student-led campaign focused on raising awareness about unconscious bias in healthcare, particularly in A&E and its impact on patient outcomes, advocating for diversity and inclusion training for NHS workers, particularly trainees and receptionists.

By educating healthcare professionals and the general public through social media and interviews, they aim to promote equitable practices and foster a more inclusive healthcare system. Their goal is to ensure all patients receive fair treatment, improve trust in the healthcare system, and ultimately enhance health outcomes for diverse populations.

"Having suffered a recent loss due to racial inequality in healthcare, prevention is better than cure. Although implementing small changes here and there is what ultimately will turn into an avalanche and prevent others from losing loved ones from preventable deaths."

“We most enjoyed having the opportunity to try to make a change in a world that is and always has been a difficult place for minorities. Accompanied by my peers we've smashed goal after goal, reaching growing audiences and getting the attention of higher status individuals. The Inspire US program has allowed me and my peers to come together as a collective and make a change for the better. Without their support and guidance I'm confident we wouldn't have come as far as we did as soon as we have.”

Elevate Sports – Sandeep, Shayna, Simar

Ark Isaac Newton Academy, London

The main aim of Elevate Sports is to give children better experiences in sports. They have been pushing for better government funding, more social awareness of the opportunities sports clubs can bring, but also better equipment all around to maintain the safety of children optimising their enjoyment.

“Working on our campaign has boosted my confidence in public speaking and broadcasting my own opinions. Ultimately, this experience has made me realise how much of a change us individuals can make on society, especially in our local community to better ourselves.”

“We have most enjoyed going out and speak to members of society openly and honestly despite an age, class or gender barrier between us. It proved that the stigma of divides in society are exaggerated.”

Pothole Action – Eleanor, Karina, Pheobe

Weatherhead High School, Liverpool

Their project has focussed on an issue that is prevalent not only in their local area, but nationally. Pothole Action have been campaigning to raise awareness of the dangers of potholes on the Wirral, specifically in their home town of Wallasey. They argue that potholes are an ongoing issue in the local community, and nationwide. It's an issue that is not being solved and the pothole crisis is costing £14.4 billion a year in economic damage in England alone. If nothing is done to fix this problem, it is going to have a greater long term effect on generations to come. It is essential that the Government recognise that this is an issue that isn't going away and can't just be "covered up".

“Throughout this project we have uncovered extremely interesting and shocking findings of the damage potholes has caused to our community.”

“We have most enjoyed 'having the chance to engage with the community and hear of their opinions and experiences and meeting with our local MP in order to have the chance to make a change.”

Project Planet Unity – Dylan, Jaishveer, Yuvraj

Ash Green School, Coventry

Project Planet Unity has campaigned to improve sustainability in Bedworth. The team have collected data using grassroots methods including word of mouth and paper interviews, in person interviews with a Local MP and the Local Mayor and letters from the Prime Minister and Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The team then went on to analyse the data, and selected littering and flood risks as the areas of most concern, and the word of mouth data to select issues to pursue, before completing drives and workshops with local community groups to reduce littering and improve recycling rates in the area.

“The project has been challenging but the smiles on the faces of the people that we have helped have been worth the hard work and sacrifice.”

“We have most enjoyed the difference of the programme to regular sixth form life has been enjoyable, and it has been really beneficial; a whole new experience for us all.”

ReduceIt – Ekroop, Maryam, Naimah, Yaasir

Joseph Leckie Academy, Walsall

ReduceIt wanted to have an effective campaign, that highlighted a major issue that has affected people, not only on a local level, but a national level as well. This would help promote and empower their community through their actions, whilst simultaneously bringing attention to a crisis, where minimal help has been provided.

“We have learnt so much about campaigning, from the roots being thinking about what to do the campaign on, all the way to interacting with people regarding our campaign issue. It is great that this campaign has given people like us, from a disadvantaged socio-economic background, the chance to be involved and it is all thanks to the Talent Foundry.”

“We have most enjoyed being able to see the impact that we’ve had, has been the most rewarding and enjoyable part. Helping the community has been a privilege, whether it be collecting donations (in terms of money and food), or raising awareness about our campaign issue. This programme has really put us out of our comfort zones; however, it has helped us become more confident and helped us achieve our goals. Knowing that we have had an impact on the lives of other people, regardless of the size of the effect, allows us to remember what exactly we are campaigning for, but also how we would love to continue helping in the future, alongside all the support that we have gained.

SecureTeenZones – Adea, Alisa, Farah, Ruya

Oasis Academy Hadley, London

SecureTeenZones aims to improve the lives of young people by ensuring that they have the resources and nurture to fonder their development. They work closely with youth centres, food banks and schools to secure life for the youth in all areas, creating beneficial zones for the youth.

“This project has truly opened our eyes to the challenges burdening the youth within the community, our work has brought us both joy, tears but overall satisfaction as we have achieved so much to help our local community through hardship."

TalkAboutPeriods – Asma, Kavya, Manel, Raymond

Preston Manor Sixth Form, London

Coming from the London borough of Brent, where within local and school communities, periods are considered a taboo and deemed ‘too awkward/uncomfortable’ to even talk about (as reflected through the team’s polling), TalkAboutPeriods’ campaign strives to do two main things: Firstly, campaign to keep the government scheme in place which provides free period products at schools, to help reduce period poverty. They have also been raising awareness about periods and period poverty (which is crucial in the current cost of living crisis), to reduce the stigma surrounding the topic, as well as to ensure young people have a safe environment to talk about periods in.

"Being able to voice a topic of such importance to males within the community and how to reduce its stigma has given us a sense of hope; a hope that the future generation of men will be better equipped to handle such issues without a fright."

“We have most enjoyed the media aspect of it. After the masterclass on social media, we feel like our campaign really came to life. From interviewing young people to physically going out to central London and interviewing the public, and launching our online petition, we think we've had an amazing impact and are incredibly proud. One of our videos has even received over 2,000 views, which has been insane.”

The Silent Issue – Sophie, Jessica, Ketsia, Osato

Aldersley High School, Wolverhampton

The Silent Issue was targeted around the idea of spreading awareness for the global issue, domestic violence. Through this, they demonstrated clear perseverance to reach their audience, young people, by creating polls, a focus group and various engaging activities that helped them connect with their target audience. Ultimately, they wanted to raise awareness of and break the stigma around domestic violence.

“We feel like working together with people who feel just as passionate on the topic of domestic violence, has been motivating, not only this, but we’ve been able to build communication skills, team building skills and inter-personal skills, through this we’ve been able to gain a mass amount of people who have a greater depth of understanding on the issue, domestic violence.”

“We most enjoyed refuting the stereotype channelled on black people; we are four black women who decided to work hard to make into it the finals and to make a difference regarding the issue domestic violence, which a lot wouldn’t have expected. We have been strong and successful and enjoyed working on this project together.”