Hugo
Sitting on the underground on the way home from my day at work, I feel a deep sense of wholeness. I have just been at the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (Aelp) Conference representing Youth Employment UK (YEUK) as a Youth Ambassador. In my head, I imagine how the effects of my day will play out. I had been persuading employers at the conference to sign up to YEUK; I picture their calls coming in, the new YEUK logo on their website, young people finally getting that job they needed for so long. Above all, this is what I want in life: a sense of achievement.
But this is not everything. I always want to feel active, useful. I can’t stand doing nothing, I have to be on the balls of my feet. I’m always eager to stretch myself further and do better than other people. At school, getting better marks on an essay or an assignment gives me satisfaction; seeing my grades drop makes me hungry to get back on top.
There’s a certain rhythm to the volunteering I do at YEUK and in school. I like following a process and the sense of security this gives me. Solving an equation in maths, for example, makes me feel like I understand my environment and what I’m doing. I can think clearly, and see exactly what’s ahead of me.
My confidence is always boosted by challenging other people’s ideas, too. It reminds me that there is always more to be discovered out there, and having my own ideas challenged keeps me on my feet: I can always be proven wrong if I’m not careful. Youth employment is a subject where there are always new ideas to be found and challenged. At an event I attended at Portcullis House for part of my role as a Youth Ambassador, I held the government to account over the standard of apprenticeships, and enjoyed the to-and-fro between us.
This brings me to another point: I want to help people. As part of research I was carrying out for an article I was writing for an online blog, I listened to the story of young person who barely had room to lie down, living in a one-bedroom flat with his brother. It pains me to imagine myself in the position of someone who is suffering, and helping them means that I can share their sense of joy.
In future, I will need all of the skills these experiences have taught me. I will need a strong work ethic, discipline and clarity of thought, critical thinking skills, and the ability to empathise. My work at YEUK, other organisations and school has prepared me well.
So for my future career, I want all of this. This is why I want to be involved in politics. In politics, there is always a debate to be had, there are always people to help, there are always ways to improve yourself. The career choices associated with politics are so varied -working as a journalist, politician, or for an NGO, for example- that there will always be something to fall back on. But above all, working in politics can give me a sense of achievement: I can leave a legacy.
You can meet Hugo at the Youth Friendly Employer Conference – Gala Dinner on the 1st of December or the Youth Employment Convention on the 24th of November
You can find more about the Ambassador Programme here
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