A voice for the unheard - empowering young minds through research

The NXTGen Researchers Programme arose out of the recognition that if we are going to produce meaningful research that will benefit young people, we need young people to tell us what is important to them and to work with us to decide what the research should be, how it should be carried out and how it should be communicated. The first NXTGen cohort was formed in 2023 and has since evolved to the programme that it is now. There have been 4 cohorts in total, each consisting of 65 secondary school and sixth form college students. These young people have embarked not only on a journey through the academic research process, but they have also explored the matters that mean the most to them. If we are to serve young people the best, then we feel it is only right to hear from them directly. During the NXTGEn process, the young people are introduced to local authority groups, policy makers and other community organisations. In this way, they can work with and present their findings directly to those who can affect change and even assume the role of change-maker themselves. This process focuses on young people taking control of what means most to them and working towards improvements in their local communities. In this talk, we will present the history of the training programme; it’s evolution, where we are now, celebrate successes and talk through the lessons learned. You will hear directly from a young person who has been through the process, and learn more about how this programme could be implemented in your local areas as we also present on our work with teachers in embedding the NXTGen Researchers Programme in a number of schools in Hampshire.