Welcome to my blog
My name is Oliver. I’m your typical millennial studying Business Studies at City of Oxford College. My hope is to progress to the higher levels of a career in business in the future. I have a keen interest in politics and am always watching the news to see what’s happening within our country and beyond. I also have a passion for engaging with people and helping them – I believe it’s always important to put people before yourself in the real world. I am here on a work placement with the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 team, so I can develop my understanding of how to engage with people on a subject that on the surface seems dull but is really important and could improve lives. I am looking to also develop my business acumen. This placement gives me the chance to lift the lid on local government and how they are trying to respond to the needs and wants of my generation.
So, I have joined the communications and engagement team – an integral part of the Oxfordshire Plan 2050 that the Oxfordshire Growth Board oversees. It may sound boring, but I can assure you that it’s anything but and it really is looking to improve the lives of the younger generation. The plan is focusing on creating more opportunities in the future for Oxfordshire ranging from better transport to more affordable housing along with the encouragement of a greener lifestyle to hopefully help tackle climate change. There’s a lot in this plan that should help Oxfordshire thrive and I hope to enable you all to understand it as it continues to develop over time.
You probably think councillors are all geriatric white men…and assume all councils do is hand out parking tickets and collect your bins.
This blog is for my opportunity to demonstrate how my insight is feeding into the project while also sharing my ideas with you. I want to help provide a young person’s point of view as it cannot be stressed enough how this could change young people’s lives when they get older. I appreciate that a lot of you will read this and assume I am an advocate for the local authorities, but the truth is my role here is to break things down and allow young people’s voices to be heard throughout the process. You probably think all councillors are geriatric white men – and not without some reason – and assume all councils do is hand out parking tickets and collect your bins. But I can tell you this is far from the case. And fear not, I’m going to be cutting through the jargon and making it simple to understand. I am here for you guys, no one else, I don’t care about you Grandpa Joe or you Aunt Mable, I am here for you.
My tasks so far have included talking about what interests me and why, before trying to link that to the plan and how we can tap into a young person’s mind. Another task was to take a report about a workshop with young people and tailor it for them rather than councillors and local government workers. My other great opportunity that I have been assigned is writing this blog.
So far, the experience has been amazing – plus there’s been a selection of biscuits brought in on almost a daily basis! But all jokes aside, it is a steep learning curve but that’s one of the reasons for taking this placement; I know I am going to make a difference already.
Tune in next week for more!