North East youth charity, The Key, is marking National Power of Youth Day by celebrating young people across the North East who are making a positive impact in their communities through youth-led social action projects.
Power of Youth Day is a nationwide celebration recognising young people who are creating change through volunteering, campaigning and community action as part of the #iwill Movement, which encourages more young people to help shape the future of their local communities.
One group leading that change is The Other Direction from Newcastle upon Tyne, who are tackling vaping and smoking among young people through an awareness campaign created as part of Youth Action Unlocked. Made up of Daniel, Erin, Jannah, Kate, Lucy and Penny, the group identified vaping as an increasingly common issue affecting their generation and wanted to better understand the reasons behind it.
Driven by a desire to create change, the group carried out peer-led research with around 30 young people, exploring attitudes towards vaping, reasons for starting, and the age at which young people typically begin. Using their findings, they created a short, engaging awareness video designed to highlight the impacts of vaping and encourage healthier choices.
The group also developed supportive “goodie bags” containing resources and tools to help young people stop vaping, with participants encouraged to hand in a vape as part of a positive behaviour change approach.
Since launching, the project has been shared widely across youth groups and conferences, helping to spark important conversations around vaping and young people’s health. The group also presented their work at an NHS health conference, showcasing their research and impact to professionals working across the sector.
Speaking about the importance of young people and professionals working together to create change, Penny from the group said:
“I think professionals have the ability to make change and young people have the ideas of what needs to be changed and how, so if they’re working together then you’re creating the possibility of a chance for something better for everyone.”
And speaking about the project more generally, Erin said:
“We have seen a lot of young people in our areas vaping, and we know that more and more research is emerging about the health issues associated with it. We wanted to help reduce smoking and vaping in our area, especially among young people.”
Rebecca Maw, CEO of The Key, said:
“Power of Youth Day is about recognising the incredible impact young people make in their communities every day. The Other Direction are a brilliant example of young people identifying an issue affecting their generation and taking meaningful action to create change.”
Through research, creativity and youth-led action, The Other Direction have empowered young people to make informed decisions while raising awareness of vaping as a growing health concern.
Their story is one of many being highlighted this Power of Youth Day, celebrating the positive difference young people are making across the North East.
For almost 25 years, The Key has supported young people across the region to use their voices, ideas and experiences to create the change they want to see in their communities. As part of this work, The Key is helping to lead a city-wide social action movement in Newcastle, supporting more young people to take part in meaningful community change.
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