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UpRising exists to open up pathways to power and leadership and equip young people with the tools to follow them. We stand for...
Changing the face of power
We work with a wide range of young people from backgrounds that are underrepresented in positions of leadership, including those from working class and ethnic minority backgrounds. Supporting these young people into positions of power will have positive repercussions for society in every sector. Our vision is for leaders to reflect the rich diversity of life experience in our society, as this facilitates innovation and creativity.
Championing diverse leadership
We believe that young people are uniquely placed to change the world. They have the capacity to be powerful change-makers and influencers and supporting them to unlock their potential will have positive impacts for society at large. Youth leadership can tackle pressing social challenges and encourage positive social change.
Leadership and employability skills can be learned and applied in a variety of different forms and contexts. The ‘traditional’ idea of leadership is not the only, or the best, version - leadership is increasingly seen as situational and inherently collaborative, social and relational. We encourage young people to think critically about these variations and develop their own style of leadership. We create much-needed opportunities for underrepresented young people to follow their leadership ambitions and excel.
Empowering young people
We connect young people, often those facing structural disadvantage, with their wider communities and enable and support them to actively engage with the world around them to tackle inequality. By engaging with diverse speakers, we present young people with a variety of views and encourage them to think critically and develop their own ideas. We provide them with a safe space in which they can explore and practise leadership.
From the beginning of our programmes, we encourage young people to reflect on their strengths and develop their skills. Through carefully crafted, tried and tested sessions, we equip young people with the tools they need to achieve their goals. By the end of our programmes, young people are in a better position to fulfil their career aspirations and take on the leadership roles they deserve.
Developing accessible, impactful programmes
Not only have our programmes grown out of important research, such as the 2009 Taking the Lead report, we also consistently monitor and evaluate our programmes, to ensure that they remain relevant and useful to those we aim to serve. We do this by including the voices and ideas of the young people we work with.
Our programmes balance innovation and continuity to achieve long-term sustainability. Through ongoing reflection and improvement upon our programmes, we ensure that we are meeting the needs of young people and offering them authentic opportunities to develop their skills.