Thrive is an idea I’ve been carrying for a while: that every young person deserves the support, skills and belief to do more than just get by. I want them to thrive in their health, their wellbeing, their education and the futures they choose. Right now, Thrive is a starting point, not a finished plan. This first post explains why I started it, and why I don’t want to build it alone. I want to shape it with you: young people, parents and carers, teachers, youth workers and anyone who cares about giving young people a fair chance.
We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Expereinces during Covid were life changing for many, cinluding me. Schools closed, exams were cancelled, and young people lost friendships, milestones and routines almost overnight. Yet what stayed with me most was how people came together. Locally, neighbours checked on each other, collected shopping and set up mutual aid groups in days. Nationally, huge numbers of people volunteered to help the NHS and those most in need. Internationally, scientists and countries shared research and worked side by side to develop vaccines at a speed few thought possible.
Covid showed me that when people come together around a shared purpose, remarkable things happen. Thrive is my attempt to bring that same spirit to supporting young people through the changes they face now.
Young people today are growing up in a world that is changing faster than at any time I can remember. The cost of living, housing, climate worries and an uncertain jobs market all weigh on them. Many feel pressure from every direction, and too many are struggling quietly with their mental health.
Technology is changing everything too. Smartphones and social media mean young people are never really off, constantly comparing themselves with others. At the same time, artificial intelligence and automation are reshaping the world of work. Many of the jobs today’s teenagers will do don’t exist yet. That is exciting, but it can also feel daunting when no one can give you a clear map.
Over time, I kept seeing the same pattern. Young people with huge potential were being held back, not by a lack of ability, but by things that are easier to fix than we think. These include stress that no one helped them manage, not knowing what options were open to them, and not having someone in their corner at the moments that mattered most. The years around GCSEs and A levels are especially intense. Exams, big decisions about the future, changing friendships and growing independence all land at once. Some young people have plenty of support around them. Many don’t. I started Thrive because I believe where you start in life shouldn’t decide how far you can go. I am ever so grateful to the South Asian Soceity of Devon and Cornwall trustees who are helping us to setup Thrive.
What Thrive could be
To get the conversation started, I’ve sketched out six themes, one for each letter of THRIVE:
- Thinking: to step back, reflect and focus on a shared purpose that unites.
- Healthy habits: sleep, food, movement and the everyday things that help us feel good.
- Resilience: bouncing back from setbacks and being kinder to ourselves and others.
- Independence: money, life skills and confidence for the next step.
- Vision: exploring careers, college, university and everything in between and beyond.
- Education: learning life-long in ways that actually work.
With by fellow vice-chairs, we are exploring a few ideas like free tutoring, career mentoring, webinar series, sporting activites timed around the school year. But these are our collective thoughts, and we fully expect them to change once we hear from you.
How you can help shape Thrive
There are lots of ways to get involved, whether you have five minutes or want to be part of it for the long haul:
- Join a community conversation: come along to an informal session, online or in person, to talk through ideas.
- Join as a volunteer: if you’re aged 14–21, help steer Thrive from the start and get experience you can add to your CV. Use this form
- Partner with us: if you work in a school, college, youth service or local business, let’s talk about how we can work together.
- Simply get in touch: contact us or message us on social media handles.
This is the very beginning, and I’d love you to be part of it. Together, let’s build something that helps every young person in our community to thrive.