critical thinking

Across the three days, the passion and determination that the young people brought to the table was nothing short of inspiring. They came ready to question societal norms, challenge longstanding stereotypes and imagine new ways forward – and they did so with sharp wit, bravery, and empathy. It was a privilege to hold this space for them and hear what they had to say, and what came through was a bold call to action for drastic and systemic change.

What We Set Out to Do

Re-Rooting Greater Manchester strived to create a safe space that felt open, honest and youth-led, allowing for vulnerability and anger as well as out of the box and blue-sky thinking. 

Co-facilitated by myself, Chris Gaisie and Kianu Glasgow, alongside contributions from guests Jane Cordell and Saif Ali (Results CIC), social activist Liv Clarke and local artist Nasha Cash, this event was hosted in partnership with our sister organisation Rekindle and grew from our shared mission to spark curiosity, connection and compassion and help young people to find their voice and agency in a world that often overlooks them. 

We wanted to give young people in Greater Manchester the opportunity to come together and be in a room with peers they might never usually meet. We encouraged them to see beyond their own pre-judgements and stereotypes to connect across social, cultural and geographical divides, build empathy for one another and recognise they have more in common than they first might think. In parallel, we wanted to give them the chance to explore the issues they are passionate about, voice concerns and hopes for the future and think critically about the world around them. Over the course of the three days, they built understanding and empathy for themselves and one another, developed tools for communication and self-expression, shared their visions for the future and imagined how they could each play a part in shaping a fairer, more connected and compassionate UK.

What Came Out of the Sessions

It is often assumed that young people aren’t politically engaged or keenly aware of what is happening beyond their own bubbles, but in my experience they are incredibly switched on, especially now that most teenagers have 24/7 access to global news and think-pieces through their smartphones and social media. As an older Gen Z at 22, I can also attest to the power of TikTok as an information-sharing platform and still somewhat relate to young people in this age bracket, but what I wanted to know most going into this conference was how much had the experience of growing up in Greater Manchester and the UK changed over the last 10 years? Has it largely remained the same, or would the young people pick up on new or worsening issues?

By offering a space free of judgement, built on shared agreements to listen, be respectful and stay open-minded, we facilitated hard-hitting conversations that were open, authentic and sometimes emotional. Over the three days, the young people spoke eloquently about their worries for the future and the issues affecting them most deeply today. We covered a lot of ground and loads of topics were brought to the fore:

Mental Health and the Politics of Belonging

Discussions around the mental health crisis in the UK were key, with many young people saying they felt that support only arrives at breaking point and daily struggles are rarely recognised. This is unfortunately not new, but it stood out to me that so many young people had individual stories about their personal struggles with mental health issues, with some bravely sharing with the rest of the group that they had even struggled with self-harm or suicidal thoughts in the past. One young person, when referring to the “barbaric” Mental Health Act and long waiting lists for CAMHS, called the mental health system in the UK “appalling and an abomination,” and asked why we treat some of the most vulnerable members of our society with such a lack of empathy or care?

This is a theme that permeated discussions, with young people expressing shame and anger at the inadequacies and failures of the systems which are set up to protect and care for themselves and others. From the NHS and the education system to CAMHS and the care system, young people connected their own individual stories and frustrations to the wider systems they feel let down by and the sociopolitical frameworks responsible for it. It was devastating in parts and highlighted the need for drastic institutional change, but so powerful to hear the young people talk openly and advocate for more influence in shaping these currently broken systems.

Although the young people shared their disillusionment with traditional politics to make real change, it would be unfair to say that they were apathetic. During discussions around the rise of the far-right in party politics and whether the Labour Party was truly left-wing anymore, one young person stated that “politics is becoming oppressive” and another warned that “if Nigel Farage is elected, God forbid, the UK will be like America.” For them, the only real candidate seemed to be Zack Polanski, with many expressing admiration for the Green Party and hope that he will be the next prime minister.

The overall excitement in the room upon learning that they’ll soon be able to vote at 16 in the next general election, and the surprisingly in-depth knowledge of a few young people about specific policies and recent Supreme Court rulings, highlighted to me how absurd it is that young people are often stereotyped as politically unaware or disengaged, and how much they actively want to participate in civil society.

By the end of the first day, the group of 17 young people had got over their initial nerves and shyness around each other. One participant admitted that she had “pre-judged the people who walked into the room” but realised over the course of the day “we’ve actually got lots of things in common.” Through voicing their opinions without fear of judgment or being shut down, learning more about one another and discussing shared hopes and concerns, they had taken great steps in overcoming their own misconceptions and stereotypes to connect with the others, thus laying the groundwork and fostering an important sense of belonging needed to tackle such complex issues.

Self-Care, Kindness and Connection

The second day was based around the theme of compassion – both for others, but also for ourselves. Guest speakers Jane Cordell and Saif Ali led an inspiring morning session based around their own lived experiences – becoming deaf in later life, and growing up as a refugee respectively – and how they have built resilience, self-compassion and empathy for others. They also focused on balancing caring deeply for others and / or about global issues with being able to look after ourselves and treat ourselves with kindness. Using some yarn, Saif expertly demonstrated what a web of connection and compassion looks like and how it is strong but easily snaps if we overstretch or overextend ourselves. “How do we balance our compassion for the world without collapsing?” he asked.

 For our young people, the answer was to create a self-care toolkit and share their tips and tricks on what makes them feel confident, cared for and able to confidently tackle the world around them. In groups, they shared advice such as “find people who bring you a sense of belonging”, “do things that make you happy” and “spend time with nature” or engage in some classic retail therapy – whatever floats your boat! They also practiced compassion, empathy and connection by swapping Post-It note compliments at the end of the day, with the prompt to celebrate something they had recognised in one of their peers over the last few days and offer themselves the same kindness by taking the time to give themself a compliment too. It sounds simple, but the impact was profound – watching the young people uplift each other with such genuine pride and support, swapping flurries of handwritten notes, was potentially my favourite moment of the whole conference.

A Hunger to Be Heard 

I was reminded again and again throughout the three days that young people at the moment are holding so much both individually and as a generation. Spectators to a series of dystopian and defining historic events and witnessing first-hand the widespread political instability and heightening social divisions across the UK, this generation is navigating increasing uncertainty, inequality and constant change alongside the normal challenges of puberty and becoming an adult. And yet, when given the space and encouraged to speak their truth, their instinct is not to shut down or turn inwards – it is to connect and care. I found it astounding and genuinely inspiring how quickly the group bonded once we encouraged them to break down their walls and get to know each other. I think adults can learn a lot from the way they listened to one another with respect and empathy. Even in disagreement, this amazing group listened not to pick holes in arguments or start a debate, but to engage in healthy discussion and understand more. 

And yet, they don’t just want to have a nice chat. Across every topic, one message came through clearly. Young people want to be heard and actively involved in shaping the future. They are insightful, inquisitive and itching to contribute, but most feel that their ideas are often dismissed, ignored or not taken seriously by those around or above them. Fellow Mancunian and long-term social activist Liv Clarke joined us on the final day to share her story about how she has used her voice and platform for change, campaigning tirelessly for working-class youth to be involved in politics and to have greater access to equal opportunities. In so doing, she demonstrated that young people can reclaim their voice and agency, and turn their frustrations into followings and anger into action. 

Looking to the Future

On the final day of the conference, the young people were able to do just that and take their hopes, fears and complex feelings about the state of the UK today and turn them into co-created group vision statements for a fairer, more connected and compassionate UK. Doing a deep dive into the themes of climate, mental health, equality, migration, British identity, youth and education, each group reflected on the topic and channelled their desire for change into getting curious – wondering how things could be different and how we’d get there and using their ideas to reimagine systems, society and national priorities. Creating vision boards of what this ideal future would look like, each group then agreed on their vision statement – a rallying youth-led cry for change. 

Reflecting both climate anxiety and a hope for a more balanced and eco-friendly future, the young people stated they “want a world where the number of trees matches the number of humans.” For mental health, they demanded that we “treat mental health like physical health” and “stop the cycle of normalised abuse.” On the topic of equality, the young people reminded us that we need to “celebrate diverse communities and ensure everyone has an equal voice and opportunity to thrive.” Similarly when discussing migration and British identity, the young people demanded “accessible movement for the people, with the people, by the people” and the need to recognise that we are “one island, many cultures.” In a climate where public debate is fueling tension around migration and identity, and where symbols can be misused to stoke division, it felt incredibly hopeful that the group chose to reject those narratives. Instead, they leaned towards unity, acceptance and mutual support. For education, the young people wanted it to be a true “gateway to opportunity, fostering curiosity, creativity and ambition which inspires minds, nurtures talent and creates possibilities.” And finally on the topic of youth, the group reminded us all that “young people are humans regardless of age or maturity.” 

What This Highlights

What we saw was a glimpse into what it feels like to grow up in the UK today, a snapshot of some of the challenges that young people and the wider cohort of younger Gen Zs are currently facing – and frustration at the fact that adults often ignore or underestimate this experience. Our sessions across the three days revealed how much young people value opportunities to talk openly, think critically and connect with others who share their concerns. When they are given that space, they respond with intelligence, honesty and compassion and the floodgates to what they are holding back open. 

We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the young people in person at the end of the conference and from the survey we sent out after the event. Words like “safe,” “fun,” “friendly” and “eye-opening” appeared again and again and some of the young people described themselves as feeling “more knowledgeable,” “more aware of others’ experiences” and “more passionate to change the issues.” One said, “It impacted me more than I thought emotionally (in a good way),” although my favourite has to be from the anonymous young person who wrote on a Post-It note that “I know now I can make a change.” These aren’t your average workshop outcomes or everyday evaluation stats; they highlight shifts in perspective and tell us we’re doing something right.

For me, the biggest takeaway was how much empathy and curiosity these young people already possess. They are not waiting for permission to care about the world; they just need spaces that trust them to lead the conversation.

Where Do We Go from Here?

The most asked question during feedback was “when can we do something like this again?” and I hope that the answer is very soon! 

Re-Rooting Greater Manchester reminded us that young people are full of empathy, ideas and imagination. What they need now are consistent opportunities to be taken seriously and supported to turn those ideas into action. For Roots and Rekindle, the next step is to make sure this work continues. The insights shared here will help shape future programmes, youth-led projects and community collaborations across Greater Manchester and the UK.

But beyond that, it’s about ensuring these voices reach the people who most need to hear them – teachers, local leaders, MPs and big decision-makers. The honesty shared in that room deserves to ripple outwards. If we can build on this momentum, perhaps we can begin to model the kind of compassionate, critical and connected society these young people are already imagining.

When young people are trusted to think, create and question, they show what is possible. Their words remind us that curiosity, compassion and connection are not just meaningless values or buzzwords – they are tools for building a better future.

Written by Cara Kennedy, Co Facilitator at Re-Rooting Greater Manchester and Community & Partnerships Lead at The Roots Programme