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Manchester welcomed a much-needed youth resilience panel on the evening of 28th January to explore how the city and the rest of the North West can better support young people.
Hosted by Ndidi Okezie OBE, the panel featured famous faces including former Lioness Jess Clarke, Olympic gold medalist and Nord Anglia Education sports and performance coach Marlon Devonish MBE.
The event, named A Focus on Resilience, was hosted at the National Football Museum in Manchester and marked the first of five events to be hosted by the Teaching Awards Trust and Nord Anglia Education over the coming month.
Helping young people navigate the pressures of life
Former Lioness, Jess Clarke joined the panel
With the number of young people accessing social media ever-rising, this event highlighted the importance of acting fast. Now more than ever, children and young people need support to grow, be confident and have a familiar face to lean on in times of crisis.
Former Channel 4 series ‘Educating Yorkshire’ student Musharaf Asghar also spoke at the event about his journey with a stammer through school, how he found his voice with the support of a dedicated teacher, which led to him becoming a motivational speaker. He is proof that anything is possible.
It’s all about giving young people the tools and confidence to navigate the pressures of modern life. Discussions looked at how schools, communities and organisations can work together to empower young people.
From the perspective of professionals
National Football Museum. Photo: Peter Corcoran for Mather & Co
Local experts, Alan Thompson, CEO of hi-impact, and Steve Baker OBE, Founder and Chief Executive of The Difference also featured on the panel to bring a fresh perspective.
Alan Thompson said: “Manchester faces many of the same pressures as communities across the country, but its local nuances mean grassroots voices are essential.
“Organisations working on the ground understand what works, and this event showed that when everyone supporting young people pulls in the same direction, students benefit from a fully blended support system.
“Schools can’t do this alone, the wider community all have a vital role to play”.
Drawing on personal experiences
The conversations looked forward, examining how rapidly evolving digital environments, artificial intelligence, and global uncertainty require educators to reconsider what resilience means for young people preparing for an uncertain future.
Andrew Fitzmaurice, Chief Executive Officer of Nord Anglia Education said: “As the challenges facing young people are evolving faster than ever, a collaborative approach across education, business, and the community is essential.
“Framing resilience through this lens gave the discussions real depth. We’re excited to see how these important conversations develop across the country.”
Charity is at the heart of the event
The event series is organised by independent charity, The Teaching Awards Trust, in partnership with Nord Anglia Education, the international schools organisation.
Interactive table sessions led by former Pearson National Teaching Awards winners used question prompts and case studies to explore how students overcome setbacks.
Teachers shared how they apply these approaches and maintain their own determination in the face of daily obstacles in the classroom.
Find out more about upcoming events
You can find out more about Education Insights events here.
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