The piece below is a reflection by Cherwell School student, Leonie Freeden, on her experiences as a Junior Ambassador.

I was lucky enough to participate in two EPAS trips to Strasbourg last year, Euroscola and the European Youth Event 2023, and I found that my experience with the Beyond Cherwell programme was a real wake-up call.

I visited Strasbourg for the first time in February 2023, and left completely inspired. Until this trip, I had never had very politically opinionated friends, so to be with a like-minded group of people who cared about current issues and would be willing to put in the work to make change was utterly eye-opening. Being in an environment where I was sure that the people around me cared about the topics being discussed and knowing that they would genuinely listen to what I had to say gave me a new-found confidence in myself and my beliefs. For the first time, I understood the part of myself that longs to see significant political changes in not just the UK or Europe, but across the globe, and found myself driving to be a part of the change in a way I hadn’t expected I would.

I have always felt very strongly about certain political issues but I never believed that I could have the influence to make a difference. Entering the hemicycle in the EU Parliament building and sitting in the same seats as the MEPs who have voted for some of the most important European issues restored my faith in the power of the individual and gave me hope that I could be a part of something significant. Being in such a remarkable room with hundreds of young people helped me to realise that, as teenagers, our voices can have an impact on a much broader scale and it fostered in me a sense of responsibility to protect our planet. I strongly believe in preserving diversity and culture, including being more open to perspectives different to my own, and seeing the behind the scenes of the EU Parliament has allowed me to fully understand the importance of unity and inclusivity in a world where we allow differences to divide us.

There is one aspect of this experience that has affected me more than any other. I have been told countless times that being opinionated is an unattractive, “unladylike” quality and that it makes me stubborn and arrogant. Two years ago, in a class discussion about violence towards women, a classmate told me I was acting “psychotic”, simply for being passionate about an issue that means a lot to me. It’s these moments of being humiliated and silenced that discourages young girls from pursuing political studies. After growing up in a society where men are praised for the same behaviour women are criticised for, I found it difficult to even consider further studies or a career in politics, but my trip to Strasbourg changed this. I was even lucky enough to listen to a talk by Roberta Metsola, the president of the European parliament and I was inspired by her confidence and capability, and how much she is respected. Witnessing first hand these women in leadership roles was absolutely empowering, allowing me to view myself in a significant position such as working in politics. Learning about how MEPs work was appealing to me the minute I set foot in the hemicycle. Since my trip, I have become a member of the EU, and my time in Strasbourg has left me considering a future in working in European politics, hopefully alongside Britain.

These trips were some of the most fulfilling experiences of my education so far. The support I received on this trip, both from my peers and the staff, to express myself and say yes to things outside of my comfort zone has had long lasting positive effects on how I view myself and my self-confidence.