Mulberry Youth Conference

“An Incredibly Moving Experience”: Order of the day

The Mulberry Conference is aimed primarily at students in Years 11-13, providing a context in which they may come together to address pressing global issues. Conference topics vary from year to year. Sometimes the topics are broad catch-alls such as “Diversity and Justice” which enable us to bring in a potpourri of national and international issues. At other times we focus in on a particular theme such as “The Impact of Mass Media.”

The conference day is divided into three distinct sections. The first are the presentations by the outside speakers. Speakers are asked to speak for 20 minutes on an agreed upon topic, followed by 10 minutes of questions. We usually hear from three or four speakers over the course of the morning. In addition, sometimes we have chosen to run a Question Time style panel discussion, in which panelists address questions from the floor.

The second section of the day is the Discussion Groups in which groups of 15 students, led by two Mulberry students, explore their reactions to the morning speeches. At the end of the Discussion Groups students are asked if any of them wish to make a speech before the conference as a whole. If so, they are invited to submit a card indicating their topic. Following lunch, in what is often the most powerful part of the day, we hear from as many of the student speakers as time allows. It is hard to describe how powerful and moving it is for young people to hear other’s their own age earnestly addressing the key issues that face the world and pledging to become active in addressing these.

Following student speeches, the conference breaks up allowing students to attend smaller workshops on topics of particular interest to them. These workshops, often presented by outside NGO’s are focused on specific actions or activities young people can become involved in in order to make a difference in their communities.

Finally the day is brought to a close with a speech from one of the student organisers. It is important to note that at no time during the day are any members of school staff permitted on the stage: the day is run by and owned by the students.

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