Having benefitted from mentoring and coaching provided by Arts Emergency in the UK, Amie Kirby is now a member of the organisation’s Youth Collective, building community relationships and coordinating cultural projects.

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The launch of the Youth Collective Manifesto, 2023 (photo credit: Arts Emergency)

The launch of the Youth Collective Manifesto, 2023 (photo credit: Arts Emergency)

Amie is now coordinating a project at the Working Class Movement Library in Salford. (photo credit: Amie Kirby)

Which parts of the manifesto resonate with you the most, and why?

What is lovely about the manifesto is that it was produced collectively, so all the points resonate. I’m proud of having coined ‘the art world is our world’, but I also love ‘everyone has a part to play when the revolution comes’. As a community organiser, my core interests are finding innovative ways to use arts, culture, heritage and, most recently, archives to explore political movement building and community relationships.

How is the Youth Collective putting its manifesto into practice?

We’ve had two key outputs so far. One was a panel discussion on ‘taking up space’, which brought together curator Korantema Anyimadu, journalist Yomi Adegoke, literary agent Sile Edwards, and writer Jonathan Wakeham. I was fortunate enough to chair that conversation, which covered imposter syndrome, representation in the creative sector, and much more. We also put together a callout for work responding to the manifesto, and created a zine, Art is Joy.

Individually, we’re also working on our own creative practice which embodies the manifesto. I’m coordinating a project at the Working Class Movement Library in Salford, for working class 16-25 year olds. We’ll be kicking off on 28th September, 2024, so if any readers want to be involved, please get in touch at amie.kirby@wcml.org.uk, or check out our socials @wcmlibrary!

What have been the highlights of your work with Arts Emergency and the Youth Collective so far?

This is hard! I have achieved so much both for myself and with others. I think my top three are:

1. Putting together the festival in 2023 and being able to take ownership of our work.

2. Cultivating relationships with my mentor and coach.

3. Exploring my creative interests and finding out how broad they actually are. I’ve written articles, led workshops, and even co-ran a radio show with Sam!

What is your advice for students keen to pursue the arts?

Never let yourself be told that you can’t do it! When I was doing my GCSEs, I’d opted for art but was automatically enrolled onto triple science – I was assertive in speaking to my head of year, and my courses were switched. If there’s something you want to do – whether it’s the arts or not – find out the steps you need to take, and work your way towards them.

And, never do it alone. This world is big and wide, and can be daunting. It can be easy to think we can’t seek help from others, but it’s imperative that we do. There are support networks, communities, societies and social media platforms – you just need to find out what works for you. Everyone needs that one person who’s willing to help them get their foot in the door. It’s my hope that we all find that person and then become that person for someone else.

www.arts-emergency.org/young-people/youth-collective

The Making of a Manifesto 2023 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaVS6sVTa_g&t=35s

Get involved:

Arts Emergency provides 16-18 year olds with free mentoring, advice and opportunities to help them pursue a career they’re passionate about. If you want to find out how you can get an Arts Emergency mentor click here. Applications to get a mentor are now OPEN until 30 September 2024!

YOU can help an under-resourced young person get a fair shot at the future they want. Become an Arts Emergency mentor. Applications close 30 September 2024.

Do you have a question for Amie?

Read about young people taking a leading role in STEM:

www.futurumcareers.com/inspiring-and-valuing-young-women-and-non-binary-people

An award-winning biomedical scientist, Bamidele Farinre has shown resilience and determination in her own career and is passionate about inspiring young people to follow in her footsteps. Through her mentoring and mental health advocacy, she is committed to fostering greater diversity and driving positive change within STEM .

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Mental health advocacy is a priority for me as it plays a vital role in overall wellness, and I believe in destigmatising mental health issues, raising awareness and ensuring everyone has access to the support they need for their mental well-being. As someone who has faced challenges and setbacks, I understand the importance of having support systems in place. Promoting mental health awareness helps create a more inclusive and supportive environment where individuals feel valued and empowered to seek help when they need it. By prioritising mental health, we can foster resilience, productivity and a healthier community, both personally and professionally.

What does it mean to excel in biomedical science?

To excel in this field means consistently pushing the boundaries of knowledge and innovation to improve patient care and outcomes. It involves a deep commitment to scientific rigour, continuous learning and the application of cutting-edge techniques to solve complex health issues. Excelling in biomedical science also means mentoring and inspiring the next generation of scientists, advocating for diversity and inclusion, and actively contributing to the scientific community through research, publications and collaborations. For me, it also includes speaking engagements and educating others to broaden the impact of scientific advancements.

What does winning awards mean to you?

Winning the UK Advancing Healthcare Awards ‘Biomedical Scientist of the Year’ (2022) was a monumental achievement for me, especially as a black female leader in STEM. This recognition was more than just an acknowledgment of my hard work and dedication; it was a powerful affirmation that diversity and excellence can coexist and thrive in the scientific community. As a black female in a field where we are often under-represented, this award represents breaking through barriers and challenging stereotypes. It underscores the importance of visibility and representation, showing young black girls and women that they too can excel and lead in STEM. It validates the struggles and triumphs of navigating a career path that hasn’t always been welcoming or inclusive.

What motivates your ambassadorial work?

Through my role as a mentor with the Institute of Biomedical Science and other STEM platforms, I strive to provide guidance, support and encouragement to aspiring biomedical scientists and STEM professionals. I share insights into the opportunities and challenges within the field, offering practical advice on navigating educational and professional pathways. My message to students is one of empowerment and possibility, highlighting the vast potential for impact and contribution in the exciting world of biomedical science.

Overall, my involvement with these initiatives is driven by a commitment to fostering a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM. By serving as a role model and mentor, I hope to inspire and empower the next generation to pursue their passions, break barriers and make meaningful contributions to the STEM community and beyond.

How do you look after your own well-being?

My energy and motivation come from my passion for making a positive impact. Knowing that my efforts contribute to meaningful change and empower others fuels my drive to continuously strive for excellence. To ensure I maintain my well-being amidst the demands of work, I prioritise self-care and mindfulness practices. I make time for activities that rejuvenate me, such as exercise, spending time with loved ones, and pursuing hobbies and interests outside of work. Setting boundaries and practising time management helps me maintain a healthy work-life balance.

What have been the highlights of your career so far?

The highlights of my career so far have been numerous and deeply rewarding. They include delivering keynote speeches, participating in panel discussions, and presenting at conferences nationally and internationally, where I have shared insights and expertise on various topics related to STEM, diversity and leadership. I have also contributed articles to industry publications and engaged in media appearances to raise awareness about important issues in biomedical science and to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. These acknowledgments and achievements have motivated me to continue advocating for gender and racial diversity, driving positive change and inspiring others to do the same.

What are your aims for the future?

I aim to establish more comprehensive mentorship programmes, particularly for under-represented groups in STEM. This includes expanding my reach to mentor students, early-career professionals and aspiring leaders, providing them with the guidance and support I wished I had during my own journey. I also aspire to take on more leadership roles where I can influence policy, drive change and advocate for best practices in healthcare and STEM education. My goal is to contribute to global solutions that improve lives and foster inclusive growth. Ultimately, my aim is to build a legacy of change that extends beyond my career. I want to be remembered as someone who not only excelled in their field but also made significant contributions to creating a more inclusive, diverse and equitable world.

Bamidele’s top tips for students

1. Stay resilient and persevere. Understand that setbacks and challenges are a part of the journey and that persistence is key.

2. Seek mentors who can provide guidance and insight and help you navigate your career path.

3. Identify role models who inspire you, and learn from their journeys.

4. Build a strong educational foundation; take your studies seriously and strive for excellence.

5. Gain practical experience through internships, research projects and voluntary work.

6. Build and collaborate with a network of peers who share your interests and goals.

Bamidele’s advice for teachers

1. Foster inclusivity by ensuring that your classroom is a welcoming and inclusive space for all students, regardless of their background, gender or ability. Emphasise the value of diverse perspectives in STEM.

2. Encourage students to ask questions, explore new ideas and engage in hands-on, inquiry-based learning.

3. Connect STEM concepts to real-world applications to make learning relevant and exciting.

4. Use technology and digital tools to enhance learning and make STEM subjects more interactive and engaging.

5. Highlight diverse role models in STEM fields, including women and individuals from under-represented groups.

6. Facilitate mentorship by connecting students with mentors who can provide guidance, support and inspiration.

7. Provide career insights by inviting guest speakers from various STEM professions to talk about their careers and experiences.

Connect with Bamidele

Bamidele Farinre
Chartered Biomedical Scientist, Consultant (freelance BMS), UK

Professional Affiliations: Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS), Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC), Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS)

linkedin.com/company/instituteof-biomedical-science

linkedin.com/in/bamidele-farinre-352b1191/

@bamiprecious

Do you have a question for Bamidele?

Read about the two sisters supporting women in STEM:

www.futurumcareers.com/sisters-supporting-stem

Excluded from mainstream school at 11-years-old, Tier Blundell left a pupil referral unit at 16 without any qualifications. But this did not stop him from pursuing education as a mature student and, recently, starting his doctorate at the University of Oxford in the UK. An inspiring role model and advocate for young people, Tier has founded Excluded from School to support those experiencing school exclusion and is living proof that no child must ever be ‘written off’.

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A more practical impact was that I left without any qualifications. Despite being given an opportunity to undertake an access course, which got me into the University of Warwick, followed by St Andrews University and, currently, the University of Oxford, I still do not have a GCSE in Maths and am, therefore, excluded from becoming a qualified teacher! Spiritually though, my experience filled me with resolve, and I am very privileged to have been able to mould that resolve into advocating for other young people who either have been or at risk of being excluded from school.

What motivated you to pursue education as a mature student?

It was a mixture of factors. I had enjoyed learning martial arts and travelling through different cultures. During this journey, I became interested in moving to Canada but realised I was ‘unskilled’ and lacked any qualifications that would fulfil the entry requirement. I was also working as a doorman at bars and clubs in Leicester and enjoyed having conversations with the customers, who were mainly students from the city’s two universities. Student life looked like fun, and I thought “I want a bit of that!” When I started my access course, I caught the bug. I absolutely loved classroom discussion and going to the canteen afterwards with fellow students and continuing the conversation. I was finally surrounded by teachers who respected me and peers who wanted to learn; I was in my element and knew university was for me.

What challenges did you face when you re-entered education?

The biggest challenge was the deficit of education that I still held. I had no knowledge of grammar at all; I found writing essays easy conceptually but incredibly difficult when it came to prose and structure. I got myself a private tutor to teach me grammar and, as a result, I saw my grades increase, ultimately attaining a first-class degree.

How did it feel to gain your PhD place at the University of Oxford?

It felt like a moment that was bigger than me. I had proven that excluded children should not be written off academically. It is rare that an excluded child will get a pass in English or Maths – less than 2% –, let alone go on to university. However, this is a systemic issue and a reflection of the limited attainment that is available to these young people, not their level of intellect. Assumptions are made about young people who exhibit challenging behaviour (which is often a communication of an unmet need), which is, essentially, that they cannot be academic. I think this expectation is deeply damaging and problematic and, at times, borderline racist and classist. That I am the first person to come to the University of Oxford from a PRU should be a source of national shame. The system needs a serious review.

What is the aim of ‘Excluded from School’?

The aim is to create a network of people who have experienced or are experiencing school exclusion, to generate insight and collect stories so that we might advocate for change. In the media, school exclusion is always discussed as ‘on the rise’ and spoken of in quantitative terms. Both contemporary exclusions and the poor outcomes, particularly the ‘PRU to prison’ pipeline, are well-documented. For example, it is estimated that up to 80% of prisoners in the UK have been excluded from school. We need to think about the real-life stories of the people in these statistics. It is the obsession with the statistical analysis of schools that often creates perverse incentives to exclude children in the first place, but I think it is profoundly important to document the lived experience of people, not only around their exclusion, but how it has affected them throughout their life.

What progress have you had with ‘Excluded from School’ so far?

We have had hundreds of emails. Many from parents still fighting to keep their child in school, from people who were excluded and have turned their lives around and, sadly, from some who have never quite recovered from being excluded. I have also received emails from head teachers and teachers who regret having excluded students. I think this admission is powerful and important. Teachers clearly do not go into the profession to exclude children, yet unfair and counter-productive pressures on many teachers force their hand. This needs to be considered more closely as it may go some way in explaining why the profession has a staffing issue. I sometimes see classrooms as pressure cookers; the only thing that keeps the lid on is letting out some steam. When will we lower the heat?

What advice do you have for anyone who is struggling with their schooling at the moment?

Take a breath. You are enough as you are, and there is plenty of time to attain your educational potential. This may be an unpopular opinion, but GCSEs and A-levels are only as important as you make them. I got to some of the best universities in the world without them, and if you are in mainstream school or receiving (modern) alternative provision, you will already have much more education than I did when I got into Warwick University.

You must look after yourself, first and foremost. I have been fortunate enough to have had three years of psychotherapy and to be supported by a mental health charity, of which I am now a trustee (A Band of Brothers). I see many young people deeply affected by their school years. The stress we pick up from these times can affect how we relate to people and institutions in later life and will have a more lasting effect on us than a good grade in an exam. It is more difficult to heal from trauma than it is to resit an exam. Having said this, I have personally found that when I take the pressure off, my academic performance improves. The key is knowing your value outside external affirmation and accreditation.

What would you like educators and parents/careers to take from your story?

Never write off a child. Keep doors open for them. And think about your mental health so you can take care of theirs.

Connect with Tier

@TierBlundell_

Tier-Blundell

tier-blundell-6669ab1ba

https://excludedfromschool.com/

Listen to Tier on the BBC Radio 4’s Life Changing

Do you have a question for Tier?

Read about how the Stemette Futures Youth Board is helping young people find their way in STEM:

www.futurumcareers.com/inspiring-and-valuing-young-women-and-non-binary-people

As North West Regional Advisor for the Stemette Futures Youth Board in the UK, A-level student Rachel Ryan is helping to inspire girls and non-binary people to pursue STEM. From visiting local schools to discussing curricula with exam boards, she is a young leader highlighting that “dreams are attainable”.

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The little things are very important to me – like hearing from a primary school I visited that a young girl has signed up for a Stemettes event, or getting a group of friends to sign up to the society together. Ultimately, I hope my work through Stemettes has made a positive difference in the lives of a few young people and opened up some doors to futures they didn’t know were attainable for someone like them. That’s what I really value.

What is your advice for anyone considering joining the Stemette society?

Absolutely go for it – the Stemette Society is such a supportive, inspirational environment, and there are so many amazing young girls and non-binary people with real passion for STEM that will welcome any new member with open arms. I have learnt so much from this group of people, and I’ve made friends that I value greatly.

About Rachel

I have always loved the problem-solving aspect of STEM, and I find it to be a very rewarding area of study – the logical methods to a (generally) definitive answer make sense to me. My passion for STEM has always come from my own interest rather than a specific moment or another person.

I relax through music – both listening to and performing it. I have sung from an early age, mainly solo, but I am also in my school choir. I’m also on track to do a diploma in popular music vocals. My musical extracurriculars are very important to me because a lot of them involve spending time with my friends, and they also provide a stark but necessary contrast to my STEM-focused studies.

Currently, I aspire to pursue a career in engineering – potentially, with a link to my interest in geography, such as energy or environmental engineering. Thanks to Stemettes, my passion for STEM just keeps growing!

Rachel’s top tip

Take every opportunity you can, and do not allow self-doubt to hold you back. Signing up for interesting clubs/events, like those that Stemettes provide, has been such an important aspect of my life. You have to be mindful of not taking on too much, but if you play your cards right, you can end up with some really amazing opportunities. My thinking has always been – you’ve got nothing to lose by putting your name down for that work experience or event, so why not?

Do you have a question for Rachel?

Read about the teenagers supporting Gen Z’s mental health:

www.futurumcareers.com/from-teenager-therapy-to-astro-studios-the-podcasts-that-are-supporting-gen-zs-mental-health

Sam Vestey is a 21-year-old student with a chromosomal condition called DiGeorge Syndrome. Having experienced discrimination for his non-visible disability from an early age, Sam has launched a campaign to make the blue disability badge more inclusive.

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Sam with his MP Laurence Robertson at the Natspec manifesto launch at the Houses of Parliament. Natspec, the membership organisation for specialist colleges, is calling for fair access to high quality further education for young people with disabilities and the opportunities to put their skills to work post college.
© National Star

What steps did you have to take to get Cheltenham Borough Council and others to back your campaign?

In the summer of 2022, to the surprise of National Star and my parents, I contacted Sky News which ran the first story. Then Marianne Sweet, Executive Communications and PR Officer for National Star, started to work with me on my campaign. The story was picked up by the Press Association and BBC Radio Gloucestershire. Alex Chalk, MP for Cheltenham and now Justice Secretary, met me and is a great supporter of the campaign. He contacted my local MP Laurence Robertson who is also supporting my campaign.

Andrew Lansley, Innovation Manager at Cheltenham Festivals, the arts charity that hosts Cheltenham Jazz Festival and three other international festivals every year, heard about my campaign. My logo was then used at the Cheltenham Festivals last year. That was the first big breakthrough. The logo was also adopted by Sidmouth Folk Festival.

Then, Lindsey Holland and Michael Ellyatt from the Chamber of Commerce got in touch with me about how they could promote the campaign. Lindsey has a hidden disability, so she understands what I am trying to achieve.

In September 2023, Cheltenham Borough Council, Cheltenham BID, Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce and Visit Cheltenham launched their campaign. One thousand window stickers were printed and distributed to local businesses to display in their windows. Regional BBC TV covered the launch and there are plans to expand the campaign to other towns. Watch this space!

Did you expect to receive so much media attention?

When I first emailed Sky News about my campaign, I didn’t expect to receive any media attention. However, looking back, I emailed them at the right time in the summer when there wasn’t a great deal of major news taking place, so I got lucky. With everything going on in the world now, you have to find the right time to get media attention. I’ve learned with Marianne that if you want to continue to get media coverage you need to move your campaign on. It’s unlikely that the media will cover the same story twice.

Where do you find the confidence to deal with the media coverage?

My disability affects my voice and how I speak so I get quite nervous when speaking to an audience. Before coming to National Star, I would get very anxious. My time at National Star and my campaign have helped me gain confidence in speaking to people. It has also led me to going out more when I’m back in my hometown. I’m particularly confident when talking about my campaign because I am passionate about it. I could just speak about it from the top of my head without any reminders or cue cards. I find it difficult to use cue cards as I often forget what I’m meant to say or don’t remember what was on them.

Are you hoping that this badge becomes officially recognised and used nationwide?

My aim is to slowly roll it out across the country with the help of the Government. My end goal is to head off to the United Nations and get this new logo recognised as the international disability badge. The current disability logo, or as it is formally known ‘international symbol of access’, was designed in 1968. While, in my opinion, it’s excellent, it’s outdated and no longer reflects the legislation, introduced in 2019, that allows people with non-visible disabilities to get a blue badge. For me it creates a negative stereotype that only people in wheelchairs are disabled and that is profoundly not true.

In September 2023, Cheltenham Borough Council, Cheltenham BID, Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce and Visit Cheltenham launched their campaign. One thousand window stickers were printed and distributed to local businesses to display in their windows. Regional BBC TV covered the launch and there are plans to expand the campaign to other towns. Watch this space!

Meet Sam

What are you studying?

At National Star College, I’m studying work outcomes. Before this, I was in a mainstream school where I gained my GCSEs, one A-level and a BTECH, a vocational qualification and A-level equivalent, but this was with 48% attendance. I missed a lot of my final year at school due to illness.

What do you hope to do after your studies?

I’m hoping to do a university degree in film studies or ICT at the University of Gloucestershire. My dream job is to be a film director.

What have you found most rewarding about this campaign?

The most rewarding thing I’ve found with this campaign is the overwhelming support I’ve had and the constructive criticism that people have given towards my campaign so I can take it on board and make it better. I’ve also been very surprised about how much support my campaign has got and hearing other people’s experiences has made me more determined to get the campaign rolling nationally and internationally.

What have you found most challenging?

The most challenging part of this campaign was gaining the confidence to speak on camera. Because my disability affects my speech, I worry about people not understanding what I’m saying or making fun of my voice or my disability. Luckily, I now have very thick skin so that sort of stuff doesn’t bother me too much. It mainly depends on how I’m feeling.

I’ve also had to get better at time management and listening to people. The confidence I’ve gained helped me on the National Star College ski experience to Andorra. It was a huge step for me to travel aboard with my peers and not with family. It was an opportunity to put my confidence and communication skills to the test and take myself out of my comfort zone.

What advice do you have for young people who are passionate about a cause but aren’t sure where to start?

I would start by talking to your parents or a teacher about it so that you can make it a project. And do your research. Find out what is out there and think about what you want to do. Your first objective may not be your end goal. I started my campaign wanting to immediately change the blue badge symbol, but it is an international symbol, so it’s going to take time to build up that support and grow the movement. I might be aiming for small goals, but I’m thinking big!

“When you know more, you can do more and be more.” That’s the motto of BioSci Toolkit, a resource that aims to inspire Black and ethnic minority communities to pursue careers in bioscience. Dr Chinedu Agwu, a bioscience lecturer at Brunel University, UK, and founder of the BioSci Toolkit, explains.

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What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you at the beginning of your career?

Get yourself a career mentor! Whilst I have a mentor now, having one sooner could have helped with my decision-making and put me at ease when I felt anxious or discouraged on my career journey.

What is your philosophy in life that helps drive you forward?

I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I don’t need to be anything or anyone else, other than what God created me to be. I don’t need to compete or compare myself with anyone. I will make my own unique contribution, and this

Connect with the BioSci Toolkit

@BioSciToolkit

biosci-toolkit

bioscitoolkit23

@bioscitoolkit

Email: bioscitoolkit@gmail.com

Ryan Hickman is 14 years old and already has a non-profit recycling business under his belt. He has also appeared on talk shows, met celebrities and travelled in a submarine in the Mediterranean Sea. But, as Ryan explains, nothing compares to the impact he has made from recycling, and helping others to recycle, millions of cans and bottles.

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I also get asked about some of the celebrities I’ve met, the television shows I’ve been on and places I’ve been to.

How did you manage to get invited to clean up rubbish from the riverbanks of the Rhine River in Mainz, Germany?

I went to Germany with my friends at GotBag. They make travel bags out of ocean-bound recycled plastic. There was a huge turnout of people to help clean up trash along the riverbanks. One thing I noticed was that there weren’t any plastic water bottle caps like we have in the US. There were a lot of metal water bottle caps, though. We picked up a lot of trash, but it was a great event.

I loved going to Mainz. Some people recognised me when I was walking around there, which was pretty cool!

Is this your most exciting experience so far?

It’s definitely one of my favourites. I’ve been in a submarine with OceanX* in the Mediterranean Sea where I picked up a glass bottle from the bottom of the ocean and had it recycled. I’ve also been to Bogota, Colombia, speaking to thousands of kids. But it’s also super exciting when hundreds of people show up to help me clean up a beach, wherever that may be.

You have recycled over 1,838,800 cans and bottles to date. How do you keep count?

We count everything we recycle, and we’ve done this since the very first time we went to the recycling centre. Everything is weighed so we’re able to divide the total weight by the weight of an aluminium can or plastic bottle. I’m hoping to reach 2 million by the end of 2023.

How do you find the time to run a business, give presentations and go to school?

I’m pretty busy, but it’s fun. My first priority is school, and my parents line up events for me and set my calendar. I usually recycle a little bit each night, and we do beach clean ups on Sunday nights. My dad helps me handle a lot of the business stuff, too.

Do you think anyone at any age can start a project like yours?

Definitely! I was only three years old when I started. It’s never too early or too late to make a difference. I’ve had older people tell me that they recycle now that they’ve seen me do it, and I get fan mail from all over the world from people who have been inspired to recycle. I think that’s super cool.

What are your hopes for the future?

I’m going to keep doing what I do and maybe, someday, I’ll get to 10 million recycled items. I hope that our Recycle From Home business gets into hundreds or thousands of cities. I think if we make recycling easy to understand and accessible, more people will take part. Most people want to do the right thing and help the environment but aren’t clear on how they can make a difference.

* OceanX is a global community of explorers, scientists and storytellers dedicated to inspiring and educating people to protect the oceans.

Connect with Ryan

ryansrecycling

@ryans_recycling

ryans_recycling

RyanHickmanRecycling

Website: ryansrecycling.com  

26-year-old Anthony Camu has been awarded the Innovate UK’s Young Innovators Award for Theia, a handheld orientation and mobility device for blind and partially sighted people. He talks us through his entrepreneurial journey, from the conception and development of the device at Loughborough University to founding his start-up Theia Robotics.

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Theia is the Greek goddess of sight and light. Theia is also the name of an ancient planet in the solar system that collided with Earth, forming the Moon.

How does Theia work?

Inspired by autonomous vehicles, Theia aims to translate that sense of effortless driving into a system of effortless walking, helping users make complex manoeuvres without needing to see nor think too hard about what they are doing.

Theia is a handheld device which users hold in front of them, similar in size to a TV remote or supermarket scanner. Much like a self-driving car, Theia will programme routes to reach destinations and helps users avoid accidents along the way. Users input where they want to go by voice command, and powerful on-board processors will then determine the best path to take and separate routes into individual commands – for example, bear left at 1.4 m/s.

The challenge is communicating this information to the visually impaired person, and Theia tackles this by physically ‘leading’ users. Using a special mechanism we developed, users are guided with a unique form of force-feedback. This provides a ‘leading’ sensation that can be compared to a guide dog’s brace, i.e. users holding Theia are able to feel all the subtleties of speed and direction, and the feel of being ‘pulled’ along.

What research have you conducted for Theia?

We investigated which of the seven human senses are the most useful for walking. Our findings revealed sight is not the most important sense, neither is hearing nor touch. Proprioception (body position) is more important, followed by the vestibular sense (movement), then sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste. Proprioception tells us where our limbs are in space and how to control them without looking at them, and the vestibular sense, also known as the balance sense, helps us move smoothly.

Horse riders, for example, can accurately control the speed and direction of their horses by pulling reigns and moving their legs, etc. I’ve heard that it’s possible for horse riders to ride blind horses once there’s enough confidence and trust instilled in the horse. It’s a very similar situation with visually impaired people. A person or dog can intuitively guide a blind person by manipulating their proprioceptive and vestibular senses simply by ‘pulling’ them along a path. The first steps in Theia’s creation were focused on developing a new branch of research focused on haptic interfaces, alongside human and robot cooperation. Haptics are about creating an experience of touch for the user by applying forces, vibrations or motions.

What technical challenges did you have to overcome?

Creating a lightweight, handheld device that provides users with safe, autonomous navigation on pavements is undoubtedly complicated. For example, self-driving cars have briefcase-sized computers, draw a lot of power and are still in the research stage. We’ve spent a lot of time developing a pedestrian-centred and miniaturised autonomous system, which users can rely on.

At what stage is this device?

We’ve tested our prototypes with visually impaired participants, both guide dog users and cane users, and we’re about one year away from selling our first product. It’s important to mention that there is a distinction between guide dog users and cane users, not least between each visually impaired individual. Each person’s environment, experiences, and orientation and mobility skills vary.

What have been some of your findings during this testing phase?

By working directly with mobility instructors and blind people, we discovered a fascinating partnership between guide dogs and their owners. In fact, their interdependence has been the driving force behind Theia’s features. This may also be why guide dog users found Theia, at least initially, more intuitive than cane users. Nonetheless, it was clear we had invented something that requires new skills. That said, within about 20 minutes of using the device, test participants became proficient enough to walk at nearly double the pace of traditional cane users, which is very exciting!

What is Theia’s unique selling point?

While improvements in the walking pace are great, it’s more about cost and functionality. Many more visually impaired people will be able to get the support and enhanced mobility that would ordinarily come with guide dogs but without the long waiting lists and high costs.

What led to you founding Theia Robotics?

Theia Robotics started out as a university project. Loughborough University’s public relations department and I wrote a press release about Theia which piqued the interest of PA media, a news agency. The next morning, I was on BBC Breakfast (a daily morning TV programme in the UK) talking about Theia to 7.7 million people! I then appeared on The Gadget Show, followed by J-Wave, Tokyo’s largest radio station. I was also featured in UK newspapers, such as the Daily Mail and the i Newspaper. This unexpected media attention led to hundreds of visually impaired people reaching out to me wanting to buy a Theia, although, at the time, the project was still in its infancy. So, I decided to dedicate the next few years towards making Theia a reality by starting a company and building a team. From a very young age, I’d wanted to found a company.

How challenging is it to set up your own company?

I started Theia Robotics fresh out of university, and it’s fair to say I didn’t have a clue how to start a business! In the first year, I joined programmes such as Loughborough University’s incubator, LU Inc. to learn about entrepreneurship and business operations. As a sole founder, I wear many hats, including designer, engineer, manager, accountant, administrator, employer, salesman and cleaner, etc. When you start a business, you have to get your hands dirty and expect to burn the midnight oil a lot of the time!

I made quite a few mistakes when I started out, but I had the support of advisors and, eventually, investors whom I met by growing my network, for example on LinkedIn and from the programmes I had joined. A great programme was Innovate UK’s Young Innovators programme. It provides tailored business support, as well as advisors and an initial injection of capital (money). After three years of running a start-up, I can say the biggest challenge for any company is cash flow. If you start a business, it’s important to know about budgeting and forecasting – Excel is a good friend!

What is your proudest moment to date?

My proudest moment was when I was standing on a train platform in Wolverhampton last year, and I received an email from Innovate UK notifying me that I had been awarded a SMART grant. It’s a very competitive grant which provided the funds I needed to hire my first staff members and move into an office in London. Before receiving the grant, I was working from a shed in my parent’s garden for two years.

What is your philosophy in life that helps drive you forward?

Persistence is key! I have also always wanted to be doing something that widens the skills I’m passionate about. I never stop learning.

What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you at the beginning of your career?

As a young entrepreneur, my career path has been a bit unconventional. When you start a business, you’re the boss, and you work things out as you go along. Ideally, I would have liked to have had a few more years’ experience working for someone else before starting a company. That said, I felt it was important to start a company straight away because of the media interest and the need to get a patent. Although I’m very happy where I am, if I could go back, I would probably study a part-time engineering master’s degree at the same time as starting my business. Also, if I were to work for someone else, I would work for a start-up with less than 50 employees in an industry I’d want to work in. But hindsight is a beautiful thing!

Connect with Anthony

www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-camu

www.linkedin.com/company/theia-guidance-systems/about

With over one million followers, Teenager Therapy is the largest teen-hosted mental health podcast in the world. After five years, the podcast is coming to an end – albeit with a bang -, so what does the future hold for co-founders Gael Aitor and Kayla Suarez? They tell us about their ambitious launch of Astro Studios, a teen mental health podcast network.

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Gael and Kayla pose for Astro Studios.
@ Astro Studios

Kayla: Honestly, we usually decide on the day. Before recording, we talk about what’s been going on in our lives, what’s new, our feelings and, from there, come up with ideas for the episode.

Which is your favourite podcast episode, so far, and why?

Gael: There is one that I think fully encompasses what we do and why, which is about being as authentic as possible. In this episode, we started arguing – it was an explosion of resentment and feelings that came up during the recording. You can hear us trying to communicate effectively and then fail. We had to end early because tensions were so high. For me, that episode is one of my favourites, not because it was enjoyable but because it is so unique.

Kayla: One of the more recent episodes that stands out to me was about the issues and emotions we face as first-generation students. I was transitioning into college and it was affecting me a lot. We uploaded some clips to Tik Tok, and they got a lot more views than usual. I remember feeling relieved, because it meant other people are going through this, too, because, at the time, it didn’t feel like I, as a first-gen student, was relating to many people at school.

Is there a concern that keeps cropping up among teens?

Kayla: The way I view it is that there is a jumble of emotions in all areas of one’s life that ultimately result in loneliness. It’s hard to feel like other people understand what you’re going through or that they fully recognise you as you are, which then makes it harder to connect with people. Social media is a double-edged sword in the sense that it can bring people together, and serve as a sense of community, but it’s all digital. You don’t have that face-to-face connection and interaction, and this is isolating.

Social anxiety is also a lot more common. There are many things to battle when you finally do decide, okay, I want to put myself out there. If you do want to overcome loneliness, you have to have the confidence in yourself to take a chance. You never know what connections are out there.

Gael: It almost feels like talking to people in person isn’t allowed anymore, and the constant patrolling on the internet is making it worse. Before the internet, people approached people and asked them whether they wanted to go out. Now, people are overthinking even the smallest of interactions. What if the person doesn’t want to be bothered? What if this is considered harassment? I think this is driving the loneliness epidemic because we’re unable to bring our online connections into the real world; we’re unable to establish real-world connections because we’re scared of approaching people.

What is your advice for young people who are feeling lonely and disconnected?

Gael: It begins with a mindset shift. You can talk to anyone. It’s flattering to be approached. You may experience rejection, but rejection is part of life, and the more you go through life being okay with rejection, the more fulfilling your life will be. You’ll stumble across some really cool people if you put yourself in situations where you might be rejected.

What’s next for Teenager Therapy?

Gael: Teenager Therapy is coming to an end in September 2023, coinciding with five-year anniversary. We’re all going to be 20 years old and we feel we’ve outgrown the brand. We want to go out with a big bang, so who knows what we’ll do for our final episode!

You have recently launched Astro Studios. Are there personal reasons for your interest in mental health?

Gael: A lot of the work I do is mission-driven-I’ve never been profit-driven. When I think about what I’m going to make, I don’t think about how much money it’s going to create, I think about what kind of impact I want to have. I’ve realised that what has made Teenager Therapy so fulfilling is the impact it’s having. It’s the same for Astro Studios. I want to create a space for teenagers to turn to when they’re dealing with overwhelming emotions. I went through an emotional crisis at one point in my life, and I didn’t know how to handle it, or how I was supposed to feel. I remember thinking, how are others dealing with this? I wanted to hear about the experiences of other young people and that’s the driving force behind the shows we make at Astro Studios.

Kayla: When I was a kid in middle school, I didn’t know that the term ‘mental health’ existed, and this is particularly true for underrepresented people. My nephews are teens, and I think about how they’ll be needing help at some points in their lives, but they won’t be asking for or talking about it. When I think about this on a much larger scale, affecting thousands and thousands of people, I recognise that teens need an outlet, somewhere to go. Astro Studios will become that place.

Do you have an idea of where you want your studies or career to take you?

Kayla: I don’t know if this sounds bad or not, but I’m not actively trying to excel academically. I’m majoring in business, so it feels right to be gaining experience, rather than focusing on theory, which is why I’m so excited to see where Astro takes us. I want to finish my studies because, for me, school is a personal accomplishment. My family doesn’t come from educational or college background. I also recognise that if Astro doesn’t take off and I need to redirect my attention, I may have to consider different routes.

Gael: I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was 12 years old. I created my first e-commerce clothing company at 13 and grew that to $100,000 in sales by the time I was 14. I was born in Mexico and emigrated to the US when I was 6. I didn’t speak English and lived with my single mom and sister. My mom didn’t finish college either. For me, my focus is on growing Astro Studios to hopefully become a successful company and retire after that.

About Astro Studios

As the five friends prepare for the big bang for Teenager Therapy, Gael and Kayla have been working on a new project. Launched in May 2023, Astro Studios is a teen mental health start-up providing on-demand access to professional and specialised therapists. At present, it works as a podcast network, which teens can access through a single subscription, but Gael and Kayla have much bigger plans for its development. “This is step one of a hundred steps to where we want to go with Astro Studios,” says Gael. “We’re reimagining the mental healthcare system and how social media and software can be a supporting pillar.”

Although Astro Studios is separate from Teenager Therapy, Gael and Kayla describe it as a more mature and scaled-up version of it. “For example, we’ll focus on love, and how to deal with a breakup, but instead of covering this in one episode, we’ll have a full podcast series dedicated to love and each episode will focus on one person’s perspective.” The aim is for listeners to be able to select from a wide range of experiences and perspectives, with each interview being between 10 and 15 minutes long.

According to the UK National Health Service (NHS), one in six young people aged between 5 and 16 in England experienced a mental health problem in 2020, up from 1 in 9 in 2017. In the US, young adults aged from 18 to 25 are reported to have experienced more mental health concerns (30.6%), compared to adults aged 26 to 49 years, and the highest rate of serious mental illness (9.7%). “There is a mental health crisis and we’re in a loneliness epidemic,” says Gael. “A lot of the traditional approaches don’t consider all the varying factors that need to come together for there to be an effective solution. I think modern teens think about their mental health in a different way, and that means encompassing media. Astro Studios will use media to provide a community for young people.”

In December 2022, the Taliban banned Afghan women from universities. Heela Yoon, founder and CEO of the Afghan Youth Ambassadors for Peace Organization (AYAPO), tells us how she keeps optimistic in the face of this deliberate affront to women’s and girls’ human rights.

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How do you train youth and young women to be peace-builders?

We have a programme called the Peace-builder Club. We start by inviting young women and men from different districts to focus group discussions. This is where we find out what their needs are. Is it leadership training, for example, or training in technology, communications and public speaking? Once we’ve understood their needs, we develop bespoke training materials.

One example is the training we did in Jalalabad. A lot of girls in this district don’t have access to higher education. Even before the Taliban banned women from universities, local traditions meant that, after graduating from 12th grade, girls were not allowed to attend university. So, we developed training materials aimed at religious and tribal leaders that focused on Sharia law (the religious law of Islam), explaining how Islam actually promotes women’s education. We also conducted workshops in leadership, advocacy, social media and budgeting. We then organised a dialogue between all the stakeholders, including religious and tribal leaders and representatives from the government and NGOs. The young women we’d trained acted as moderators in this dialogue and were able to ask religious and tribal leaders questions about their rights to an education. Many people’s mindsets were changed, thanks to this experience.

Can you share other examples of the work AYAPO does?

We often face humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, such as earthquakes and floods, and yet humanitarian responders are men. Afghan culture and gender restrictions mean that women don’t feel comfortable talking about their needs to male responders. We train female responders to work with women in times of crises and teach them how to prioritise their needs.

Another project we’ve been working on is the provision of computer science and English as a foreign language (TOEFL) courses for women in the eastern provinces, which we’ll hopefully implement in 2023.

What successes has AYAPO had?

The training we’ve provided to so many young women and the peace-building dialogues we have organised with communities and religious leaders are success stories. We are the first youth- and women-led NGO to have created a safe space for engagement with religious and tribal leaders in the eastern provinces, a region of Afghanistan where change doesn’t come easily.

Another success story is our young peace-builders programme, which connects young people with donors and scholarships so that they can continue their education in Afghanistan. We’re also proud to have provided humanitarian support for young people and survivors of the 2022 earthquake in Paktika province, where more than 600 people died. Then there’s the international advocacy work we do to remove the current ban on girls’ education. We have been working with Human Rights Watch as well as other organisations to provide educational opportunities for girls who don’t have access to education on the ground.

How do you work around restrictions on girls’ education?

If the courses aren’t university-related and there are only girls and a female teacher, and no men are in the classroom, then there aren’t any restrictions. We have also partnered with an educational institute that educates girls to deliver our training, but that doesn’t mean we don’t experience barriers. We wanted to start a programme called Peace Goes to School, which aims to train high school girls in peace-building and advocacy, as well as provide them with career coaching classes, but the recent ban on girls’ secondary education has meant that we can’t implement this project.

Another issue is security and safety. Most of our peace-builder members are female volunteers, and the restriction on women’s movements within Afghanistan is affecting their work. The Taliban has also said that women can’t work with NGOs. If we do any advocacy work in the country, we’re putting our members at risk, and we don’t have the resources to evacuate them if anything happens.

How do you stay optimistic?

I have my ups and downs. When you start a project to solve one problem, another problem comes up, or the government implements a new restriction or policy. There are moments when I don’t feel like being optimistic at all, but there are moments when I need to be optimistic. Young women and girls are banned from education; they don’t have any basic human rights. I’m motivated because I’ve been privileged to continue my education and work without restrictions and outside of Afghanistan. I can use these opportunities to help others achieve the same things.

What can the international community do?

I’m always in support of peace-building dialogues. Afghans are tired of war, and I think the right way for the international community to help is to have meaningful engagement with the Taliban. The Taliban thinks the international community doesn’t care about Afghan women anymore, so it can do whatever it wants. That’s where we need to prove it wrong.

Neighbouring countries can also have an influence on the Taliban, so the international community could work with countries that border Afghanistan to start engaging meaningfully with the Taliban. When I say ‘meaningful engagement’, I mean including the people of Afghanistan, as well as women and young people. It shouldn’t be men sitting at the table talking about Afghan women’s rights. The international community should act as our ally, not our representative, and stop seeing Afghans or Afghan women as victims.

I also think there could be more restrictions put in place, such as travels restrictions for Taliban leaders. And there needs to be safe spaces for activists in Afghanistan, who are standing up against the Taliban’s restrictive policies. Lastly, I think the international community should take responsibility for what is happening in Afghanistan and acknowledge the mistakes it has made.

What can we do as individuals?

Making yourself aware of what’s happening in Afghanistan is the first thing you can do. A lot of people I’ve met in the UK have seen a few news headlines, but they don’t really know what’s happening to women in Afghanistan; for example, there are no health facilities available to women or pregnant women in local communities. Their movements are restricted, and there won’t be enough female doctors because the Taliban has put restrictions on girls going to university. There’s also a widening illiteracy gap, especially among young women, and a lot of young women are unemployed. There are also many widows in Afghanistan, who are unable to provide for their families. How is that going to affect Afghan households in the long run?

You can help by connecting with international and local NGOs who are providing humanitarian support to Afghanistan. Learn about the different NGOs and make a donation. Even a small donation can bring about a lot of change for one family. Holding your government to account is another thing you can do. The British government, for example, can influence what’s happening in Afghanistan right now.

Then there are the Afghan refugees who come to your country. Go to your local refugee centre, help out, provide any support you can. This might be a donation, or helping refugees to learn how to make use of the services that are available such as doctors and transportation.

Having an educated family is certainly a blessing. I didn’t know what gender discrimination really meant until I started studying and working with NGOs. A lot of people think I’m working with NGOs because there were no other career options for women in Afghanistan, but this isn’t true.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

My first career choice was to work in the foreign service and become the first young female ambassador. That’s why I studied International Relations and Diplomacy for my first undergraduate degree. Later on, through working with NGOs and starting up my own NGO, I focused more on peace-building and humanitarian work. Now, I would like to work with a UN peace-keeping mission and refugees.

I also have a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s in international trade and finance because there aren’t enough women working in this area. When I was working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was only men working in economics, trade and finance.

What’s your philosophy in life?

For me, every opportunity is a blessing. My philosophy is to be grateful for whatever comes. I always try to see the silver lining because I’ve realised that things happen for a good reason. I’ve also learned to be a more proactive rather than reactive, and think that using whatever opportunities and privileges I have, and sharing them with others, will keep me moving forwards and help others to move forwards, too.

But I’m still in my early twenties. I’m also exploring and learning about how life should be, so I can’t say I have a definite philosophy.

Do you think you’re making an impact?

I hope so because if I thought I wasn’t making an impact I wouldn’t continue. I usually give myself a pep talk at the end of the day when life becomes overwhelming. I think self-care and telling yourself that you’re proud of what you are doing is something that young women should be doing. We often undermine ourselves. We downplay our problems and the things we’ve achieved in life.

Most of the time, we put it down to luck. We don’t appreciate our skills and talents. I think it’s very important to tell yourself that you’re proud of what you’ve achieved so far and to take everything step by step. Things happen gradually. You’re not responsible for the world’s problems but if you can make a small impact on people’s lives, that’s something.

ABOUT HEELA

© Taqwa Zaitoon

In addition to her role as founder and CEO of AYAPO, Heela Yoon is Youth Leader at the Global Partnership for Education. She has worked for Oxfam, Amnesty International and RESULTS UK, among other NGOs. In 2022, she was part of the United Nations cohort of Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals. Heela has a master’s in International Business, Trade and Commerce from Leeds Beckett University, a bachelor’s in Business Administration from the American University of Afghanistan and a bachelor’s in International Relations and Affairs from Kabul University, Afghanistan. Heela is currently based in Leeds, UK.

AYAPO empowers young Afghan youth and women to become active peace-builders. It aims to amplify their voices at the local, national and international levels, with the ultimate goal of fostering sustainable and just peace.