Creating a positive impact for young people in Wales
As one of the newest members of our Youth Voice Wales Team we sat down with Tia to discuss how she hopes to create a positive impact for young people in Wales.
Tia-zakura Camilleri is a storyteller, writer and aspiring theatre director. She aims to explore intersectionality and cultural politics through different art forms. Most recently she co-facilitated lyric-writing workshops to young people as part of her creative associateship with Fio. Tia is also a member of the Wales Millennium Centre Youth Advisory Board and Hijinx anti-racism panel.
What encouraged you to join the Youth Voice Wales Team ?
“I’m part of the youth board of the Millennium Centre as well and I really enjoyed informing different aspects of the centre and trying to make it more accessible for young people. I think a lot of the time young people’s voices are often silenced or overlooked, that’s why I like to be a part of things where we can have a voice and be heard.
"When I read about the Mind our Future project, I saw they gave young people a lot of responsibility which is nice to see, because sometimes we can be left in the background when it comes to making decisions. With £10 million given to young people for them to invest in what they thought was important at the time.”
What themes (Climate action, equity, mental health etc) are you interested in exploring as part of the Youth Voice Wales Team ?
“I think in my life the biggest issue I’ve faced as a young person is racial discrimination. That’s why I have a passion for equity and representation, which is another reason why I wanted to join the Youth Voice Wales Team. Before joining I didn’t know the makeup of the panel and I think that having young people from diverse backgrounds is essential."
How do you hope to impact funding at The National Lottery Community Fund as a part of the Youth Voice Wales Team ?
"I feel as young people we have a lot to say, and I want to have an input into decision making. Especially if someone is apply for funding for a project for young people, I feel we should be part of making that decision because we know what’s best for ourselves. I’m also really interested in small grants as I think it can be so intimidating to apply for funding, when you’ve never been taught how to apply, or you’ve never been nurtured in the process, so you might not have that experience. It's about removing those barriers to ensure that people, especially young people from marginalised backgrounds feel they can apply. I am really interested in making the process accessible for all."