Amal Azzudin examines how young people in Scotland are taking action to make the world a better place

As I prepare to address a crowd of 1000 engaged and engaging, empowered and empowering young people at the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) National Event, I am reflecting on my own experiences of youth activism and how it has moulded me to become the person I am today.

I believe that it is vital for young people to have a safe space where they can engage, discuss and share ideas regarding issues that they care about.

There is no doubt that young people have the ability, courage and bravery to create positive change for themselves and others. What I can see now as an adult is the importance of creating the opportunities and platforms to support them in these endeavours so that campaigns such as the one I was involved in during my school years are not an exception but an expectation.

YPI is a great way to engage young people, opening their eyes to the needs of those living around them. It shows them how they can make a difference in tangible and interesting ways while developing vital life skills. YPI often opens dialogues that would otherwise not exist at a young age and that is important from a developmental point of view.

What I am keen to challenge the delegates to consider is how they harness the opportunities they have been afforded this year and use that as they continue through their education and into adult life.

The world is changing at an incredible pace and those who will be most affected will be young people. That is why it is so important they consider how they can mould the communities they want to live in today and create the communities of the future. That is the responsibility of this #GenerationChange and I am confident that we can all play a part in rising to the challenge.

Amal Azzudin is a human rights and social justice campaigner, and will feature as keynote speaker at the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) National Event on 19 June