Thoughts from the Next Gen Fest in London, May 26th, 2022
‘Just Do It’ is one of those popular phrases whose full significance is not always understood. It might be the slick marketing message of a Nike, or the rallying cry of Social Entrepreneurs on stages such as this month’s excellent Next Gen Fest; but it also marks the boundary of possibilities for those struggling to overcome far deeper challenges in their work and lives.
After all, lest we forget, Nike’s marketing slogan was first inspired by the last words of a troubled 37 year-old facing a firing squad at Utah state prison in 1977.
Next Gen Fest was a day of inspiration arranged by Launch It and Enterprise Nation through funding from the Government’s UK Community Renewal Fund. Highlights included insights from the wonderful Dhillan Bhardwaj, CEO and Founder of Ratchet Clothing; and a final round of pitches from young entrepreneurs benefiting from Launch It’s business development support and Enterprise Nation’s online resources. Disclaimer, I’m the evaluator for the programme being delivered by Launch It and Enterprise Nation so I do have a vested interest in its positive impact.
Over the day, I noted repeated phrases from the stage that talked about the enterprise ‘journey’, the importance to be ‘authentic’; to ‘feel the fear’ and face up to anxiety; to achieve ‘balance’; focus on one’s ‘purpose’ and ‘why’. And most of all, the urge to just do it – to get started, learn from experience, burst the bubble of perfectionist doubt and get out there. All of which I whole heartedly believe in.
I couldn’t stop thinking, though, about those young people for whom ‘just doing it’ is as terrifyingly difficult as facing a firing squad. I’m talking about the context of those dealing with systemic injustices reflected in their negative experiences of mental health, the pressures of caring for other family members, and the grim reality of trying to get by in survival mode with diminished opportunities to express their true talents. For those people, the idea of ‘just doing it’ can feel like a pitch from another planet, against which they are more likely to feel unfairly inadequate and personally flawed. ‘The game is rigged against us,’ as one such young person confided in me; ‘And when you are clever enough to see that, you know you are truly fucked, because then there ain’t no slogan you can believe in beyond revolt’.
But there are some programmes and organisations trying to change the game – including Launch It, who are also one of the delivery partners for the aptly named Opportunity Fund, a pilot initiative I helped develop with Blagrave Trust and Paul Hamlyn Foundation. This initiative offers young people a guaranteed income payment equivalent to two days a week at living wage over 18 months, along with expert guidance and supports (sourced through Launch It and another charity partner) providing the space for individuals to progress personal and social impact through a business venture or campaign. Even this approach is no simple panacea to re-own the phrase ‘Just Do It’. For starters, the pilot programme is a rare example of alternative funding – it is not the norm available for most young people. Furthermore, it still exists within an ecosystem of support where the organisations on which it depends, such as Launch It, have to fight for their own survival through the short-term funding reality which the charity sector ultimately depends on.
For example, I might be the person lucky enough to be in a position to capture the learning of the Opportunity Fund and Next Gen for others, but I only know that Inspirechilli can continue to ‘Just Do It’ for another 12 months after which, like too many organisations, I have no idea where the endless dance of contracts and lucky breaks will lead InspireChilli to. Compared to some young people, even knowing that is a privilege.
How on earth can a system made up of valued organisations and individuals fighting for their own survival be expected to provide the security of support and innovation so urgently required by those struggling with the ‘game’? How many consultation conversations can we be expected to contribute to without anything back to invest in our value? Why longer-term planning matters is brought home to me every time someone I’ve worked with back in my early years at Inspirechilli contacts me to ask for help or simply to say hello to someone they trust. Once you are older than 25, like they are, too many charities and funders offering support close the door on saying hello.
Faced with a firing squad of funders and commissioners, my last words at Inspirechilli would be: ‘Do it Justice’.
This idea formed the main focus of a key note speech I made a few years ago at the Living the Dream conference in Australia, (https://youtu.be/dAT11ueLOQM). I’d urge you to watch it, but at 20 minutes it falls far outside the timespan our lives and work afford us for new ideas. If you do open the link, my voice might sound frail on the recording coming as it did in the week following my mother’s death in 2016, but you’ll find the content is richly relevant.
If we want young people to live the dream of ‘just doing it’, we need to be doing so much more, so much better. As I say in the speech:
‘The more our sector continues to ‘just do it’ by putting young people into policies and programmes where they can only survive and cope, the more we put those young people and ourselves in front of a firing squad with no real sustainable future to what we do. In other words, we can only truly do it justice for young people and the charity sector when we can do more than just help young people to cope with systems that aren’t working’
Which brings me back to the Next Generation programme: an investment in young people’s capability to establish a business venture or secure an employment opportunity offers one important jigsaw piece, however small, to fit together the puzzle of our modern transition into adulthood. It may not be the driver to systemic change, but it still serves as important inspiration to get on with other forms of revolt to remove the blocks in the game. For that, I’m grateful to Launch It, Enterprise Nation, the UKCRF, and all the voices who contributed to Next Gen Fest.
For further information:
Next Generation: https://www.enterprisenation.com/next-generation/
The Opportunity Fund; https://www.blagravetrust.org/our-work/
Launch It: https://www.launchit.org.uk
