My journey to advocate for change

Growing up in Wales and attending Welsh medium schooling since nursery, I felt as if lots of my life had been in a bubble.

Although I lived in Cardiff, which is the most diverse area in the country, I always wanted to experience somewhere that united people from all different walks of life. That’s what drew me to UWC Atlantic. I wanted to experience the self-governance the college had to offer, while developing not only academically, but as a rounded person through the school's holistic approach. The co-curriculars and councils were very appealing to me, as they would give me the opportunity to work towards the UWC mission while developing as a leader.

Receiving the Rank scholarship to go to UWC Atlantic was truly life changing. Not only has it enabled me to attend the college, it has connected me to other young people across the world with similar backgrounds and aspirations as me. It has introduced me to two brand new communities I never would have found otherwise - the beautifully diverse community here at UWC Atlantic, as well as other Rank leadership scholars. It has given me confidence in myself to be a leader and push for change in the world. I’m also looking forward to my placement over the summer working for a not-for-profit organisation in Belfast in order to actively live the UWC mission.

At the college I have taken leadership roles in different areas of school life. Since October I have been the manager of ‘Hot to Go’, a student run restaurant which serves more than 50 students every Sunday night. The group’s business model revolves around social entrepreneurship and we strive to make a positive impact on campus and the local community. Our focus is providing high-quality food to students, including those who wouldn’t normally be able to afford it by offering them free meals, and donating our profits to local and global charities like Bridgend Food Bank and for victims of the earthquake in Syria and Turkey.

I’m also the newly elected leader of ‘Platform 6’.  This group operates on campus advocating for queer issues and offering a safe space for the LGBTQ+ population here. We strive to support education and awareness surrounding queer related issues, we encourage self-expression, and we believe that queer people should be given a place to celebrate who they are. 

In the future, I would like to work in politics and advocate for change there. I think one of the most important traits of a good leader is to lead by example and so that is what I would do with my new understanding of world issues. I believe that my experience at UWC Atlantic has already given me a much broader view of the world and has opened my eyes to many of the inequalities people face. And for that I must not only thank my peers who are willing to share and educate, but the Rank Foundation for giving me the opportunity to come here in the first place. I will forever be grateful to them for allowing me to broaden my horizon so much and supporting me through my journey, from receiving the scholarship, to life after UWC Atlantic through their alumni network.