Emmanuella's Story

any moment now so it is
recording can you hear
me yeah
great
okay hello my name is m thanks so much
for taking part in our community
reporting project we we are doing some
research about young people's views and
experiences of social contract the
social contract is an informal agreement
of expectations of how the people and
the government will behave we the people
want to be able to trust the government
to uphold our values and rights and act
in our best interest this will take no
longer than 30 minutes just a reminder
that you will feature on the community
Reporter website and might be used
potentially um by the equality trust for
their change making work it might be
used in reports on social media on their
website if that's okay with you
let us know if not you're always able to
withdraw your consent at any
time okay so thanks so much again for
being here the first question is what
are your hopes on fears for the
future um I think my hope for the future
is a place where we can have more people
speak their mind their voice and um
without feeling like they have to
downplay or kind of like minimize how
they feel in order to accommod others I
think everyone has a right to say what
they feel but also in that right should
respect other people's opinions who may
not be similar to their so I think just
a more open space a more free space and
yeah thanks so much what about your
fears what are some fears or like some
wor that you know you ever think about
in the future that might affect young
people or
yourself um I think a fear that I
wouldn't call it a fear but I'd call it
more of a worry is that I personally
think that some young people take things
too sensitive like I feel like we kind
of lost that working hard um like Zeal
and like being able to go through stuff
and all to achieve stuff and I feel like
we have like a microwave generation
where we want everything quick but we
don't want to do like 50% 90% of the
work so I think a worry would be that we
don't get too carried away by quick fame
or quick money whatever it is in
whatever aspect and to make sure that we
just work hard for what we want and also
to enjoy our journey while we're working
for that even the challenges the
downfalls and yeah yeah definitely
thanks so much for sharing it's very
true like instant gratification is a lot
is is what a lot of people um desire
these days especially young people so I
definitely agree I think delay
gratification is so important um so just
like you I hope people see the the the
prosperous jubilant like rewarding like
going through the process of like
whoever it is training or working hard
um and yeah not get carried away under
the second
what changes would you like to happen to
have a better life so this can be around
you know the government this can be
around your job it can be around your
lifestyle I did not hear anything can
you say that again no what changes would
you like to happen to have a better life
so this can be R your job your lifestyle
or the government or anything else you
say the last part is
really what would you like
toen um changes I would like for um like
to happen for a better life I think um H
that's a good question I think it would
be
more opportunities for young people
especially young black people um growing
up in corison I think it's like a lot of
negative for example growing up and
quthing a lot of negative stuff like
knife crime and stuff but I feel like
with more opportunities they can really
change people's life like and their
mindset and I think mindset is so
important to achieving what you want in
life and um like I said more
opportunities I can say that I've been
through events from a young age that has
literally changed my mindset and my
motivation and aspiration which has
resulted going for my dreams more
pursuing sucess but not success what you
know the media or what people think is
success but what I feel comfortable with
in success so yeah nice very nice and I
guess just a follow-up question like
what are some things that you you think
that are in the way of getting towards
your goals or that can be problems to
stop you from getting to your goal
um things that can be in the way of like
anyone getting to their goal I think is
comparing yourself to other people like
everyone's and the more you compare the
more you're just going to be further
away from your journey because not them
there's only one you so I think taking
your time even though it sounds crazy
and I don't like to listen some
sometimes but taking your time and
realizing that you're not going to get
everything when you want it is also so
and um not comparing yourself but also
striving to do your best in
everything very nice very nice thanks so
much for Sharon and lastly but not
leastly but not last um the last
question how are you involved in making
decisions about what matters to you um
and do you feel like you have the power
over your life or your
choices um I would say I'm involved in
making decisions over my life and also
choices by being involved in thing
s in
my community so whether that's for
voting out with my local MP or just
going to events that I know will have an
impact in my future my peers Futures as
well and just really putting myself out
there I think that's another really
important thing it Zone but the more you
put yourself out there and the more you
just kind of strive and just focus on
how you can help yourself and therefore
helping your community I think that's
really important so like going to events
like I've said just seeing what you know
data you have from your local MP and
even wider I think stuff like that
really helps to kind of choose what
decisions are going to happen in your
life very very very in depth answer um
thanks so much um and I guess
lastly is anything else you wouldd like
to add that I haven't asked or maybe
something that might affect young people
or guess what advice would you give to
young people um that you would have like
to give to yourself when you was when
you was younger overseas when you was
younger I think I would say don't give
up okay that sounds so cliche no I'm
going to scrap that I would say um just
go for what you want like literally go
for what you want not what you think you
want or what you think people should
think you should want like just go for
what you want and it may not be at the
same speed as everyone else I'll use
myself like everyone was going to UNI
and I decided to take a gap here and I
was like all my days I feel like I knew
it was the right de decision
but but eventually it worked out well
for me and I just think go for what you
want I think like putting your faith
first making sure you're just focused
and you put enough time in everything
yeah really you know take you to
places nice nice amazing thanks so much
um thanks so much for your time again um
that's the end of our interview in a few
weeks I'll move the other youat and
we'll go through all of their stories
that we've gaed and identify different
themes and patterns and I'm sure some of
the things you said will come across and
I'm sure some of the things you said um
will be very different to others and it
be very impactful to the
youth um we will decide you know the
best way to share the the learn project
for example it might be an event it
might be a report or film or through
social media campaign and someone from
the equality trust program will let you
know um where and how your story is
being used um and if you have any other
questions please feel free to email
info@ equality trust.org
do.uk um and yeah that's it thank you so
much again