Featured Young Social Leader: Savannah Hanson
Savannah Hanson
Imani Academy & Co Youth Associate and Connect Futures Youth Engagement Officer.
It’s been six months since I became the first Youth Engagement Officer at ConnectFutures, a Birmingham-based organisation that undertakes research and training on topics like violent extremism, radicalisation, gang exploitation, international conflict and mis/disinformation. Yup - we don’t exactly shy away from the “sticky” topics! We’ve engaged over 313,000 young people and adults, from teachers to police officers, providing evidence-based training on these critical issues.
My primary focus right now is developing ConnectFutures' very first Youth Advisory Board, an initiative aimed at embedding youth voice into our decision-making processes. Given that 70% of those we work with are young people, it only makes sense that their views guide our actions and strategies!
When asked how I found myself in this field, I often cite my interest in political extremism, the “manosphere” and the need to improve civic education significantly. But there is a bit more to it. As a Politics and International Relations graduate, I once found explaining why I chose the course quite embarrassing. One time, I reluctantly shared how watching YouTube videos about the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower fire, furious about the injustice, somehow, over time, led me down an algorithmic rabbit hole into far-right political spaces, ultimately triggering my interest in politics. To my surprise, my experience resonated with many others. I learned firsthand how easy falling into a digital echo chamber is, how misinformation spreads like wildfire, and how education—in this case, my course—can counter radicalisation. This sparked my passion for increasing accessibility to education and gave me the ability to connect and engage with others empathetically - with radical empathy, if you will - irrespective of their background, something I apply daily in my work.
Arguably, my ability to navigate spaces fraught with hateful extremist ideas is a strength. It has built my resilience and understanding of how individuals who feel unheard can be drawn into extremism. At ConnectFutures, we show young people how to channel their justified frustrations into driving positive change, using their voices and democratic structures, rather than falling into division and isolation.
Lately, I've been exploring ways to contribute to community building in the West Midlands. I envision a intergenerational community of individuals passionate about social change. (I’m especially interested in closing generational gaps.) When I accepted this role, I did not expect the opportunity to learn from youth practitioners and policymakers not only across the UK but internationally. I’ve spoken at international conferences, broadening my perspective on community organising and influencing beyond the UK. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the widespread love-centred approach to working with people, especially those ostracised from society. Another recurring theme was a belief in the transformative power of education in developing political literacy and critical thinking - essential for effective civic engagement.
Balancing work and personal pursuits is challenging, so having a role that allows me to meet, travel with and gather social changemakers is a blessing. Building networks of support for these efforts has been my most recent endeavour.
Over the past few months, I’ve conducted interviews with representatives of over 25 organisations, absorbing as much information as possible regarding effective youth engagement, informing the youth board’s development. I planned to gather interviewees to mark the end of this research phase. While I enjoy event organising and hosting, I struggled initially. Was it the novelty of this being my first event with ConnectFutures? Perhaps imposter syndrome about the value I brought?
I found myself downloading Priya Parker's audiobook, The Art of Gathering. Parker offers brilliant tips on creating meaningful, memorable experiences with a human-centred approach. For me, her advice on setting a clear purpose was invaluable.
“A category is not a purpose!”
For instance, a birthday party is a category.
“To celebrate your birthday” is a purpose, sure - though not a very exciting, specific or disputable one.
But “to surround myself with the people who bring out the best in me” or “to take a personal risk, do something that scares me” - now we are talking!
I needed to be specific. I wanted to connect an intergenerational group of people to collaboratively map and solve challenges related to youth engagement in the region. With this clarity, decisions became easier. Venue, invitees, agenda—everything fell into place. One of my favourite decisions was to facilitate a ‘web of connections’ icebreaker, using yarn to visually represent shared interests and issues. This led to a beautifully rich discussion that highlighted everyone’s strengths and passions, making connecting and problem-solving easier.
Working at ConnectFutures allows me to combine my passions for education and youth advocacy with innovative approaches to youth/community engagement. I highly recommend The Art of Gathering if you want to transform your gatherings, big or small. The power of connection and community is immense. Give it the attention it deserves!
Originally featured in Young Social Leaders Newsletter Blog Series - here
