15-30 years-old? Love nature? Want to have social impact? Want your voice to be heard?
Then the Council of Young Visionaries is the place for you.*
*joining the Council has the potential to lead to future paid work guiding with The Visionaries.
The Council of Young Visionaries (CoYV) is a diverse group of 15-30 year olds who meet regularly to research and enhance how we can better support youth and future generations to thrive.
Through a 12-month developmental programme the group advises on and enhances The Visionaries’ work, whilst also publicly contributing to a much needed narrative shift in how we support young people and address the root causes of systemic social and ecological issues.
The council meet roughly once a month to help shape our work and make it even more impactful and relevant to young people. In return we provide developmental and exciting opportunities that support the group to tap into their visionary potential. Together we work with partners to bring youth voice to the heart of issues affecting them and their younger peers.
As a group the CoYV advises, reviews, socialises, collaborates and share ideas and opinions on the issues that affect them. This is vital to inform how we, The Visionaries, can be most helpful to future generations.
If you’d like to collaborate with the Council of Young Visionaries, then please contact us at hello@thevisionaries.org.uk.
The Council of Young Visionaries is for individuals who:
- Find the work we do important and want to help shape the future of a pioneering social enterprise
- Want to take action to make a positive social and environmental impact
- Are responsible, reliable and up for getting stuck in all things nature
- Want to support the development of young people across the UK
- Align with our values and guiding principles
- Can to commit to a one year term
“In order to ensure the work we do is relevant to young people we must consult with and be informed by them. We are grateful for the wisdom they share with us and the positive changes being made from their input.” – Max Girardeau, Director
Joining the Council of Young Visionaries doesn’t only benefit us,
it benefits you too!
What YOU get
Each term lasts for 1 year and includes:
An overnight residential in the UK wilderness
Skills and experience you can add to your CV
Facilitation, Leadership and Public Speaking development
1-2-1 support for personal or professional challenges you may be facing
A chance to influence real decisions in a grassroots organisation and contribute to our governance
A deeper understanding of the inner workings of a social enterprise
Representing the views, needs and wants of young people like yourself
Access to a wide network of changemakers and fellow Young Visionaries
Regular social gatherings
Volunteering and potential employment opportunities
A chance to put your skills into practice through organising a fundraising event
What WE get
Each term lasts for 1 year and includes:
A chance to get outdoors and guide you on an overnight residential
Your opinions and advice to help shape the way we do things
Your time, commitment and dedication to the role
Confidentiality about the topics and information discussed
A chance to help you on your journey to becoming a Visionary
Your contributions to various areas of our organisation including but not limited to our newsletter, blog and podcast
Voluntary contributions of time for us and partner organisations
Input in the governance of our organisation
Your support planning and delivering a yearly fundraising event
Now that you know what’s on offer. Here’s a bit more about us:
Who are we?
We’re a group of educators and facilitators, committed to the belief that young people deserve to walk side-by-side with adults through transformational experiences and healthy rites of passage. This relational approach is vital to helping youth step into healthy adulthood and lead positive change in the world.
What are Rites of Passage and what is healthy adulthood? Rites of passage (RoP) are defined as a sequence of experiences that mark and support an individual’s transition from one identity or stage of life to another. This could be to support an individual’s ‘coming of age’, getting married or passing away. RoP can be used to support any big life or identity shift, such as the ending of a relationship or transitioning careers.
Rites of Passage, as highlighted by anthropologist Arnold van Gennep, are universally characterised by three distinct phases: Preparation (Letting go of the familiar stage of life you’re currently at and preparing to move to the next), Transition (the in-between period of the two stages of life, a time of testing, learning and growth, which often features leaving the familiar everyday life behind and embarking on a big challenge), and Return (incorporation and reintegration of the new status acquired as a result of entering a new life stage).
One way we use RoP in our work is by inviting participants on our camp to take part in a ‘Vision Fast’. This provides important time in solitude for reflection, self-awareness and to connect with nature without modern day distractions. During this time the individual reflects on an affirmation to help them tune into themselves. Though challenging it is often considered a highlight of our work!
As for healthy adulthood. This is an active question at The Visionaries and one we don’t intend to answer but to grow with and deepen into through our own lives. We help individuals tap into their unique gifts, potential and beauty, and invite them into this question rather than prescribing an answer. We do this by creating safe spaces for open, earnest and powerful conversations and creating opportunities for self-discovery. We help others to build essential but often forgotten life skills including self awareness, emotional intelligence, self responsibility, resilience and holistic self care.
We partner with schools, working with both students and staff members to promote healthy, nurturing school culture and relationships. We also collaborate with great organisations such as Apart of Me, with whom we run a grief advocates programme – training youth to help other youth through bereavement.
You can find out more about who we are by going through our website or following us on social media!
Why get involved?
As a small team still making our mark on the education system it’s quite an exciting time for us. We are humble educational activists that love to have fun whilst acting on our values and mission. As part of a social enterprise network (Year Here) we have close relationships with many other organisations that are committed to making the world a better place, which will bring great opportunities for you to widen your own network.
Your contributions as part of CoYV will mean you’ll be able to see changes made first hand and be part of our growth as a grassroots organisation. No big buildings to get lost in over here! Just openness, a good spirited nature and love of the outdoors, honouring what the more-than-human can do for us.
How do I apply?
Applications are currently closed. please complete the registration form at the top of this page to be notified when applications open again in Autumn 2022.
