The British Council launched the Policy Incubator project to promote emerging talent and social transformation by creating a space for empowerment and the dissemination of alternative narratives on migration, a shared subject in the public agendas of the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico and Canada.
From March 7-9, 2018, seventeen young people from Mexico, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada gathered for a workshop at the Memory and Tolerance Museum in Mexico City. These representatives were members of the first generation of the Future Leaders Connect global network, a global initiative launched last year in search of social change agents. Throughout the three-day programme, participants explored the role narratives play in the creation of ideas and their influence on the collective consciousness, particularly when referring to complex issues like migration. These individuals worked in partnership with the British Council to develop positive, inclusive and constructive dialogues on migration, and built Social Action Projects to begin sharing their learnings on a global stage.
Throughout the workshop, the young leaders were guided under the mentorship of Alejandro Poiré, Dean of the Government and Social Transformation School at ITESM; Bosco Martí, Executive Director at the Inter-American Development Bank for Mexico and the Dominican Republic; Eunice Rendón, expert in violence prevention and crime coordinator for Migrant Agenda; and Constanza Gómez-Mont, co-founder of C Minds. Additionally, the British Council invited Dr. Georg Löfflmann, researcher from the University of Warwick, to present his findings on the report, "Border Narratives. The Everyday Politics of Migration and Border Security in Europe”.
"Our goal is to contribute to the creation of inclusive, prosperous, equal and safe communities. We are grateful for having these young leaders participate in the project, and allowing us to become their companions in their journey to become agents of social change. The Policy Incubator programme has opened spaces for dialogue and collaboration between emerging leaders and current decision-makers, resulting in exciting and innovative projects with a lot of potential", said Jennifer Cosgrave, director of Society Programs at the British Council in Mexico.
Kevin Mackenzie, Country Manager of the British Council in Mexico, added: "Narratives matter because they can influence the way we think and often guide our actions and decisions. One of the British Council’s priorities is to expand young people’s horizons. This initiative also allowed them to think about innovative projects that aim to generate a more nuanced, positive and inclusive dialogue on migration issues, a matter that is highly relevant to our societies."
