Testimonies from Global Action Circle Adult Allies.

As an organization dedicated to the transformation and reimagination of education, we see Adult Allies as intrinsic to our work. Within YouthxYouth we see the role of an Adult Ally as someone who leverages their positionality and unites intergenerationally with young people to develop non-hierarchical relationships in an effort to collectively bring about change and to support young people in reclaiming their learning and in influencing and designing their education systems. YouthxYouth recognises the importance of intergenerational collaboration and consciously fosters spaces in which meaningful non-hierarchical learning, being, and connecting can take place. One of the ways in which we do this is through our Global Action Circles program. This 5-month learning journey is an intentionally intergenerational space where youth activists and adult allies embark on a journey of sensemaking, radical reimagination, and taking action together. 

In this blog we are going to highlight testimonies from Adult Allies who have participated in our Global Action Circles program to uplift their experiences and to share more about this invaluable role. 

First up we have Andile Kwakweni, a leadership development coach based in South Africa who joined as an adult ally in the Community Development through Education Global Action Circle of 2021. His learning question was: How might education be designed for all personality types? When we asked Andile to reflect on his time as an Adult Ally he shared: 

“I stand for generations that were raised in love-deprived homes and taught “YOU CAN’T” for the longest time and could not do anything to control the situation or save themselves. YxY afforded me an opportunity to connect with this international group of young people, much younger than I am. Through their process I committed to being more intentional than ever, to establish my gift and be a contribution.” 

He went on to say:

“Joining as an ally is like partnering with them towards finding outlets, living and telling their powerful, revealing, untold stories. The ideals they shared come down to one indisputable truth: that young person's the world over, through the generations, are born with light-filled lives. They are determined to use moments of pain and suffering to propel their personal growth and that of others. I learnt that what you do with these experiences will determine whether you come out beaten and discouraged or emerge stronger, wiser, and more resilient than ever. I believe that, given such platforms as YxY does, they can turn their most significant setback, brokenness, misery, or pain that pesters them into their most remarkable opportunities to grow into their true nature and evolve.”

Andile’s experience in the GACs has inspired him to write a book, which he aims to publish in 2024.

Next we heard from Richard Fransham, co-founder of Uniting for Children and Youth who has long served as an advocate for youth rights within and beyond Ottawa, Canada’s public education system. Richard was an adult ally in the EdTech and Intercultural Communication Global Action Circle of 2021. His learning question was: How can we unite globally to make ourselves too visible to be ignored? Richard reflects on his journey to the GAC program:

“If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”

“This quote, first attributed to 1970 Queensland Aboriginal activists, has stuck with me since I first read it years ago. To act on this message, young and old need to overcome agism and when I learned of the Global Action Circles I saw the peer-to-peer learning groups as a good opportunity for me to work at scaling away my adultism and pursuing liberation with a group of young people.” 

Continuing his reflections, he shares: 

“I was introduced to YouthxYouth through a mini talk given by co-founder Zineb Mouhyi at an AERO conference and I fully agreed with her views on the need to transform education. It is a transformation that requires many actions on many fronts. The Global Action Circles encourage this with each participant pursuing change over an extended time in a way that is meaningful to them. I worked with an inspiring group of change makers whom I grew to greatly respect. It was an experience that I have no hesitation recommending to others.”

Richard continues to weave youth and allies in education transformation around National Youth Rights Day in November and other platforms he co-leads to foster greater unity in the sector.  

Lastly, we have Hanna Negusie, who leads communications at Academy for the Love of Learning in New Mexico, United States, leveraging media as a tool to elevate unheard youth voices and narratives. Hanna was a participant in both previous cohorts of the GAC program, participating in the Curriculum and Co-curricular Learning Circle in 2021 and Relational and Inclusive Education Action Circle in 2022. She is now joining the GACs for a third time in 2023. Hanna reflected on her time as an adult ally and shared with us:

"When I heard about the GACs I thought this would be a really great way to find like minds and to connect with young people. I think it's so important to be in intergenerational spaces and I felt that lack in my own community but having this opportunity to work with young people, see what they care about, and see how they're co-creating was an excellent way for me to build community with young people.

Learning about everyone's projects and about what each person is the GAC was passionate about helped me make space for emergent possibilities in my work with young people. For adults, participating in the GAC is a way to see how you as an adult can hold space with young people, be supportive by just being yourself, see what young people care about and learn from them, it's a really special experience to have.“

Hanna continues her reflection by sharing what impact the program had on her as a 2x participant:

“I learn a lot in the GACs and it's a type of learning that I haven't found anywhere else. This is what I’ve always wanted, I didn't have the language for it before but just in feeling it was what I was searching for. Finding YxY has been really meaningful because I discovered that what I was imagining 10 years ago really does exist and that there are other people all over the world thinking and living in this way. I keep coming back because it's inspiring but also because it's validating, it gives me hope for the future. YouthxYouth is creating ripples and that's how you create change.” 

We are so grateful to uplift these stories of Adult Allies within our community and would like to invite you, if the role of adult ally appeals to you, to apply for our Global Action Circles program. This program, as shared before by our incredible allies, is a space for you to bring your curiosities to collectively embark on a learning journey in allyship with young people who are creating the world of their deepest longing. Apply now! (Extended application: DEADLINE: 16th of August)