Media Trust teams up with Weber Shandwick to train 64 Queen’s Young Leaders award winners

The Queen’s Young Leaders are an inspirational group of young individuals aged 18-29 from 40 Commonwealth countries, all dedicated to using their skills to improve the lives of others in their communities and beyond.

The award is run by The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, in partnership with Comic Relief and the Royal Commonwealth Society. This year, 64 exceptional young people were chosen to receive the award. They were subsequently invited to London for a one week residential programme of training and mentoring, culminating with a visit to collect their award from Her Majesty The Queen.

A lesson in dealing with the media

Following an introduction on understanding the media and the do’s and dont’s of media interviews, each participant went on to practice both TV and radio interviews. They were expertly guided by a team of volunteers from Weber Shandwick and Media Trust’s media trainers. The young leaders received 121 coaching, constructive feedback and tips on how to get their message across. Finally, the session culminated in a mock press conference, with six young leaders facing challenging questions from their peers and the trainers.

Coaching the leaders of tomorrow

It wasn’t just the young award winners who gained something positive from the training.

Patrick Harrison, Director of Reputation Management & Strategic Media Relations, Weber Shandwick reflects: “It was a privilege to meet and coach remarkable young people who have already made such a positive contribution to their communities and who realise the importance of sharing their experiences with the wider world.

“Never before has a generation had such a range of communications channels available to them. Used wisely, these channels can help break down barriers, challenge intolerance, encourage inclusivity and promote active citizenship. As the world confronts multiple challenges to peace and stability, perhaps these Commonwealth young leaders can help point us all towards a better collective future.”

Since the day, a number of the Queen’s Young Leaders have been able to put their training into action. As a result, many have featured on the news since returning to their home countries.

Get your organisation involved

Find out how you or your organisation can get involved and support this and similar Media Trust programmes by contacting Claire Russell clairer@mediatrust.org.