Adam Bradford reflects on his Queen’s Young Leaders experience

Adam Bradford

Europe

United Kingdom

As well as receiving a year’s training and mentoring programme, Queen’s Young Leaders Award winners take part in a residential week in the UK. During the visit the young people get the chance to meet with some of the UK’s top business leaders, connect with representatives from social actions groups and learn lots of useful leadership techniques.

Here social entrepreneur Adam Bradford (right), one of this year’s winners, talks about meeting the other Queen’s Young Leaders and the importance of the network they are creating:

“Walking into Goodenough College back in June I had no idea what to expect. I was actually pretty overwhelmed to be meeting the rest of the Queen’s Young Leaders, HM The Queen and lots of important and influential people from across the Commonwealth.”

“During the first few days we broke the ice and all of us the Queen’s Young Leaders became like a great big family from across the world, gathered to celebrate in each other’s success and to go on an incredible journey across the week. From sharing stories about our projects and ideas for their future, to visiting famous landmarks in London, it was a very unique experience – one that I will never forget.”

“From Vanuatu to Canada, Australia to St Kitts and Nevis and beyond, the diversity and incredible levels of energy from the rest of the group was such a powerful experience. We learned together about the value of the Queen’s Young Leaders Award and the community we had become a part of, both within the Commonwealth and in our own countries.”

“Sessions from business leaders, stories from inspirational figures such as the Mayor of London’s Youth Policy Adviser and hearing from members of the Royal Family, such as Prince Harry, really filled me with confidence and hope in our generation. It also gave me the confidence to go back home and carry on making a difference.”

“The recognition is one thing, but the lasting legacy of the Queen’s Young Leaders Award is another. The fact that we are all now connected and able to help each other, support each other and share our ideas and initiatives to build a super-power youth generation is really exciting for me.”

“The power of the network is now the greatest asset we all have as young leaders and with that, the world truly is our oyster!”