In this feature, Abingdon student Dylan talks about attending the recently held Abingdon Youth Forum and highlights the important work of local charity The Abingdon Bridge.
“Do you ever feel isolated, that there is no one to lean on, and that centralised, state support for young people has dwindled in recent years?
“Certainly, this is the daily reality for thousands of 13 to 25 year olds, both in and outside of Abingdon, but, thanks to the work of charitable organisations like The Abingdon Bridge (TAB), there is hope that this will change.
“The Abingdon Bridge recently hosted the Abingdon Youth Forum, held at the Cybersecurity firm Sophos’ offices in Abingdon. The event saw more than 100 attendees meet to raise awareness and take action on these issues.
“At the forum, decision makers and young people were brought together – connecting those in power with young people in need. Those present included the Mayor of Abingdon, the Abingdon MP, Oxfordshire county councillors, company CEOs, police officials and four of Abingdon School’s own Peer Support Leads (PSLs), a part of Abingdon’s OX14 Learning Partnership.
“The event featured a collaborative workshop where attendees were divided into teams of roughly ten, with a Peer Support Leader (PSL) assigned to each group. During the session, teams tackled a ‘budget’ challenge, tasked with designing and funding concrete initiatives to provide social spaces, quality education, and accessible career opportunities for today’s young people.
“The four attending PSLs represented Abingdon School exceptionally, contributing freely and honestly to group discussion and openly connecting with leaders and others. Often, as the only representative young person within their group, their voices mattered the most.
“Sports Day in the afternoon brought the event to an end for Abingdon’s PSLs – but the Youth Forum was a major success. Everyone involved learned the importance of providing for the younger generations, taking care of what we have, and (ultimately) fostering our future leaders.
“We look forward to further collaboration between Abingdon School, the OX14 Learning Partnership and The Abingdon Bridge; together we can provide the opportunity for valuable dialogue about the future direction of the town for young people.
