This week, we hosted our spring graduation ceremony for the Emerging Young Leaders Programme in London! Four outstanding graduates from this cohort attended the ceremony on the UCL campus after participating in a six-week programme. These courses focused on refining their personal stories, discovering their strengths and leadership styles, and empowering young migrants.
The evening began with inspiring speeches from our Programmes Manager, Andrew Nyeko, and Community Engagement Officer, Gio Reid. Andrew read an excerpt from his favourite book, Dare to Lead by Brené Brown, and gifted copies to each graduate to inspire them on their leadership journey. Gio shared his personal definition of leadership and wished the graduates a successful future.
The event continued with an awards ceremony recognising outstanding students for their leadership skills demonstrated during the programme. The ceremony concluded with an emotional testimonial from the class valedictorian, Henry Okanu.
"EYL has been nothing short of transformative. It’s helped me find strength in the very things I once considered vulnerabilities. During this time, I have learned to lead with authenticity, embrace my story, and believe in my voice. This experience has opened doors to opportunities I never thought possible, and for that, I am incredibly grateful. It has shaped me in ways I will carry for a lifetime."
Henry Okanu
From left to right: Henry, Ridhka, Marwa, Titilope
Henry Okanu smiling while holding his graduation certificate
Henry plans to continue his leadership journey by pursuing the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award and working with Brighter Futures and Praxis. He aspires to study medicine and become a neurosurgeon one day. Among our other participants, we have aspiring policy and mental health consultants, aspiring leaders for the World Health Organisation, language interpreters and designers, and young individuals eager to contribute to society and bring joy to others along the way.
The evening came to a wonderful close with a speech from Youth Development Officer Lizzie Etti, who was one of the members of the first EYL programme in 2018. We hope to see everyone achieve great things, and we look forward to the next cohort!
You can click here to learn more about the upcoming programme scheduled to begin this autumn. Be sure to visit our "Get Involved" page to find out more about opportunities to connect with us!
