Youth TEDx organiser
403. Tanya Mubayiwa
A Buckinghamshire student who organised a talent show at her school to give young people a platform to perform
Tanya Mubayiwa created the first TEDx youth event in July 2015 at her school, Beaconsfield High, giving young people in her school and local community a chance to shine. Tanya led a team of 17 other students and built a partnership between The National Film and Television School and the O2 Think Big Scheme to put the night together.
To celebrate the work of #IWill and what it provides young people up and down the country all of this week’s Points of Light are #IWill ambassadors.
Tanya’s inspiration to create the event came from her love of listening to passionate speakers. Tanya found events like TEDx talks a brilliant way to learn, and she believed that young people would benefit from a similar platform. The TEDx youth event allows young people to be inspired and explore their potential. The event saw 150 guests being entertained with a night of talks and performances on science, languages, music, poetry and dance.
Tanya is also a senior anti-bullying ambassador through the Diana Awards programme, Anti-Bullying Pro. The Diana Awards’ Anti-Bullying Campaign involves a number of different projects aimed at reducing bullying in schools. Tanya leads a group of 18 other student ambassadors to make their school a bullying free zone. This includes mentoring younger students and organising workshops and assemblies in local schools to spread the anti-bullying campaign.
Prime Minister David Cameron said:
“Tanya showed fantastic initiative in setting up an event to show the best of young people in her local community. She not only demonstrated what young people are capable of, she also mentored the team working with her to build skills that will open up opportunities for them in the future. I know that Tanya is continuing to make a difference in young people’s lives as an anti-bullying ambassador and I am delighted to recognise all of her work by making her a Point of Light.”
Tanya said:
“It’s an honour for me to be recognised for pursuing what I believe in – and I truly hope that my achievements inspire other young people to embark on their own social action journey. I also hope my efforts allow people to understand that youth social action doesn’t have to be a large scale example of work but that it can begin from pursuing your passion and helping others with your talents.”