Tell the World About Youth Social Action Today marks the start of #iwill week, a celebration of what can be achieved when young people work together to tackle the problems in their communities. To mark the occasion, we're shining the spotlight on our Youth Co-operative Action project, a groundbreaking programme that focuses on activism and inspiring a new generation of young people to use co-operative values and principles to make a change where they live. The project, made possible thanks to the support of the Co-operative Foundation and the #iwill Fund, is delivered in towns and cities across the UK, with each cohort encouraged to think differently to solve problems in their community and understand the real power of their voice. Empowered with the skills, knowledge and platform to tell their story, they inspire real, meaningful change. How we're marking #iwill week To mark the start of #iwill week our Oldham cohort are holding a special event at Mahdlo Youth Zone. Titled Youth Co-operative Action - Together Not Alone, it's dedicated to raising awareness of youth loneliness and its causes. To prepare for the event, the group conducted interviews with each other and Mahdlo staff on a number of topics including: Youth Loneliness Poverty LGBT+ issues They have then edited these interviews into films that will receive their world premiere tonight! The film screening will then be followed by a general discussion around youth loneliness and how we can raise awareness of its causes and possible solutions. Helping others There will also be a collection for the local food bank in Oldham, with all those attending asked to bring a food bank donation, such as a can of beans or pack of pasta in order to gain entry, rather than paying for a ticket. Making a difference The project, which began with a pilot phase across Greater Manchester, has gone on to transform the lives of many of those involved. Read Laura's story below and hear what she had to say about the project and the impact it's had on her. Laura's story Join the discussion at our Centenary Conference For the first time, we're dedicating the first day of our Centenary Conference to young people and the challenges they face. The programme focuses on how we can inspire a new generation of young people to take an interest in co-operatives, using the values and principles to take action in their community on the issues that matter to them. There are a limited number of day tickets remaining, with more detail available via the button below. Our Centenary Conference Manage Cookie Preferences