Lower Sixth pupil Yavi has demonstrated outstanding initiative by independently securing a Political Affairs Internship with The Borgen Project, an international non-profit organisation working to eradicate extreme poverty through advocacy and political engagement.
As part of her internship, Yavi recently organised and delivered an information event at St George's, encouraging pupils to explore global issues including girls' education, international development and the conflict in Sudan. The session prompted thoughtful discussion and inspired pupils to consider the role young people can play in creating positive change.
"The session was enjoyable and informative and gave me the opportunity to start conversations about issues that are important in helping young people understand the world around them in greater depth," said Yavi.
Since beginning her internship in May, Yavi has met with local councillors in Virginia Water to discuss international development, poverty reduction and ways in which the newly elected council could support issues championed by The Borgen Project. The experience gave her valuable insight into how elected representatives engage with their communities and demonstrated how meaningful political change can begin through conversations at a local level.
Her role has also included presenting to members of the Surrey Youth Council, where she has used the public speaking skills, further developed through the Laurie-Walker Leadership Programme at St George's Ascot, to encourage other young people to become involved. In addition, Yavi has attended networking events with professionals from the political and non-profit sectors, gaining valuable insight into careers in politics, public policy and international development.
Reflecting on her experience, Yavi said, "The internship has shown me how political advocacy and lobbying work in practice. Before starting, I had not fully appreciated the role that policymakers and citizens can play in creating long-term change. As a pupil at a school that places a strong emphasis on empowering young women, this internship has been particularly meaningful because many of the issues addressed by The Borgen Project, including access to education and healthcare, affect people around the world."
The internship has also enabled Yavi to develop valuable skills in event planning, problem solving and fundraising.
She explained, "Fundraising has been a key component of the internship and organising these initiatives has taught me valuable skills in communication and community engagement, whilst demonstrating how non-profit organisations rely on public support and how even small contributions can help drive larger initiatives."
Yavi's internship manager, Monicah Nderitu, Programme Manager at The Borgen Project, praised her commitment to engaging the school community and raising awareness of global issues through education and advocacy saying, "We work to reduce global poverty by advocating for international development policies and engaging elected leaders in meaningful conversations about poverty reduction. We could not do this without the support of dedicated interns like Yavi, who has done an excellent job engaging her school community and raising awareness of these important issues. Through outreach, advocacy and education, she is helping to empower others to use their voices to create change. Now halfway through her internship, Yavi has already achieved a great deal, and I look forward to seeing what she accomplishes in the coming weeks."
At St George's Ascot, we are passionate about nurturing young people who are curious, compassionate and equipped to make a positive difference in the world. Yavi's initiative in securing this internship independently, together with the impact she is already making, is a wonderful example of the confidence, leadership and global outlook we encourage in all our pupils. We congratulate Yavi on everything she has achieved so far and look forward to following the next stage of her journey.